It is officially the doldrums of the NFL off-season, with draft talk in the rearview mirror and training camp a few weeks away.
Writers still have to do their job, and this time of year often breeds fascinating think pieces, fun rankings, and some of the most mind-numbing predictions to cause a stir.
One analyst decided to dip their toe in the latter, suggesting one division favorite could part ways with their fan-favorite franchise gunslinger.
In a recent piece, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon pitched a scorching take that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could move off of Baker Mayfield as soon as the next few months – specifically, to the Pittsburgh Steelers if Aaron Rodgers flames out or the Minnesota Vikings if J.J. McCarthy proves he’s not ready to be QB1 yet.
“A collapse is possible considering the team is generally over the hill, and the talented but inconsistent Mayfield tied Cousins with a league-high 16 interceptions in 2024,” Gagnon wrote. “We won’t speculate on injuries, but the Steelers and Vikings both come to mind in the event that either the Aaron Rodgers experiment blows up quickly or J.J. McCarthy gets off to a horrible start in Minnesota.”
I understand this is an article designed to generate a reaction, but what’s the point of crafting such a preposterous scenario?
Mayfield had so many picks because he was the most aggressive signal-caller in the league, not because he was incompetent.
The former first-overall pick surely has to cut down on the turnovers, but Mayfield is arguably a top-ten quarterback in the league, with an offense oozing with talent.
The “Bake Show” will be in Tampa for the foreseeable future and will have the Bucs closer to the Super Bowl than the bottom of the NFC.
Read the full article here