The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a consistently good team under Baker Mayfield's guidance in his two seasons as the starter.
Two division titles, a Pro Bowl nod, and a career-best season last year have the Mayfield career revival in full swing.
Despite being decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball last season, the Buccaneers still finished with a 10-7 record and a home playoff game, which they lost. Mayfield was superb, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns (both career highs).
But as we look ahead to the 2025 season, analyst Greg Rosenthal thinks that the Buccaneers would be in the Super Bowl conversation if they had a better quarterback.
"I really love this team," Rosenthal said. "I thought they would be very good last year and then they were, so anyone that proves me right, I'm going to like even more. I think this is one of the best rosters in the entire NFL. I hate to say it, if they had a slightly better quarterback, I think they'd be in the inner circle of Super Bowl contenders."
There is a bit to work through.
Yes, the roster is solid, but when it comes to Mayfield, Rosenthal thinks a better quarterback could elevate the roster into Super Bowl contender status. However, were there better options?
Looking at this offseason, Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold, and Russell Wilson were the picks. Baker has a case to make that he's better than all of them right now.
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But Mayfield has shown he can be "the" guy for the Buccaneers, and if they can manage to get through the season relatively unscathed on the injury front, then who knows what the 2025 Buccaneers could become.
However right now, the Mayfield confidence is still low despite what he's managed to do in the past two seasons.
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This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 6:30 AM.