The Buccaneers once again found themselves locked in a tight divisional battle, ultimately losing out on the NFC South crown.At their best, Mayfield was playing with confidence, pushing the ball downfield and making big plays in high-leverage situations while the offense operated with real rhythm.
At their worst, defensive secondary lapses and occasional offensive lulls kept opponents in games longer than necessary.Mayfield looked like an MVP for the first half of the season when the team went 6-2.
After their bye week, the wheels fell off as they lost seven of their final nine games.Injuries were an issue all year, but they still needed to be better than what they showed.PRO BOWL PLAYER REQUESTS TRADE FROM TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ON EVE OF TRAINING CAMP AMID CONTRACT DISPUTETampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) passes in the pocket against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec.
8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)The biggest issue in my opinion with this offseason is that Mayfield has kind of expressed frustration, or disappointment, with the franchise.
They were apparently far apart on a contract, and that could make Mayfield a little less motivated for the team.They also lost one of the best players in franchise history in Mike Evans as he went to San Francisco.
They have plenty of receivers, but Evans was still dominant and had a good connection with Mayfield.They also lost a cornerback who was a solid contributor to the defense, Jamel Dean.
They did some solid additions to the defense with Alex Anzalone and A’Shawn Robinson.Cade Otton, their tight end, is back, so Mayfield will have another weapon.Mike Evans #13 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on before kickoff against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Arlington, TX.
(Cooper Neill/Getty Images)There is a solid reason for optimism when looking at Tampa Bay’s roster makeup.The offense operates smoothly wi...