After a profession 12 months and division title, Bucs' Baker Mayfield trying to take 'subsequent step'

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis remembers the second he seen a change in Baker Mayfield because the quarterback heads into 12 months 2 with the franchise.

It was firstly of coaching camp in July, and Mayfield was flushed from the pocket shortly on a play. However he wasn’t eyeing or racing towards the first-down marker on the sideline. As a substitute, Mayfield stored his eyes downfield and fired a completion.

“Numerous these instances final 12 months … he [was] going to run and attempt to get it himself,” Lewis informed ESPN. “Simply get out of bounds.”

Whereas Mayfield scrambled for 171 yards final season, he tried solely 40 passes on the transfer — twenty fifth within the league — and accomplished 21 of them, as his chemistry with large receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Trey Palmer and tight finish Cade Otton was creating.

“[Now] he is transferring within the pocket and preserving his eyes downfield and making performs on the run, which I feel is one among his greatest attributes,” Lewis mentioned. “… That makes the protection [play more honest, with] an additional man they acquired to cowl that they do not account for. … I used to be like, ‘OK, cool. You take that subsequent step.'”

That is what the preparation for the season has been about for not solely Mayfield, however for the Bucs — taking the subsequent step. He produced quite a few private bests with a 64.3% completion charge, 4,044 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and a 1.8% interception proportion. There was an NFC South title, and he delivered two of the franchise’s 4 highest passing yardage totals in staff postseason historical past.

He additionally grew to become the primary Buc to throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in a playoff sport, going for 337 yards and three touchdowns in a 32-9 win towards the Philadelphia Eagles within the wild-card sport, and 349 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-23 divisional-round loss on the Detroit Lions.

“He was very centered final 12 months,” basic supervisor Jason Licht mentioned. “There’s just a bit bit totally different gleam in his eye, and I feel a bit bit possibly has to do [with the fact] that he is a father now. This isn’t saying he wasn’t mature, however he simply appears to [have] a bit bit extra to show, which I might like to see. I really like when individuals say issues about him and doubt him — it energizes this complete staff.”

Mayfield, 29, spent final offseason and nearly all of coaching camp studying a brand new offense. He was additionally making an attempt to win a beginning job and combating to resurrect his then-floundering profession, with the Bucs changing into his fourth team in one calendar year.

“Hear, I really like a very good journey. It was enjoyable hopping round. We noticed a variety of it — the U.S. — but it surely feels actually good,” his spouse, Emily, mentioned on lastly having a secure dwelling with Tampa.

IT’S UNDENIABLY MAYFIELD’S staff now, which is why the Bucs gave him a say of their offensive coordinator rent earlier than they inked him to a three-year contract worth $100 million to convey him again to Tampa.

“For me, yeah, it is comfy realizing that I am right here for an extended time interval, however do not be glad with that,” Mayfield mentioned. “We nonetheless take into consideration how far we acquired final 12 months and the place we might’ve been and simply the ups and downs. Each season is totally different, however you at all times form of suppose again to the place you had been at at this level final 12 months and I feel we have now a greater identification. So now, it is actually about attacking it and going to get what we’re working for. I be ok with the place we’re at.”

It is also why they fortified the inside offensive line with two draft picks — together with first-round heart Graham Barton — and two free agent signings (Ben Bredeson received the beginning left guard job with Sua Opeta going to injured reserve), chosen large receiver Jalen McMillan within the third spherical and acquired some further insurance coverage at operating again with Bucky Irving within the fourth.

Most significantly, they made certain Professional Bowlers Tristan Wirfs and Evans by no means left the constructing by giving them new offers.

“He is accomplished properly,” new offensive coordinator Liam Coen informed ESPN. “He has gotten us into attractiveness, and typically it may be a bit bit on his plate, however he is accomplished a pleasant job thus far, dealing with a number of the checks and audibles on the line of scrimmage.”

Mayfield has regarded utterly at dwelling in Coen’s offense regardless of extra accountability than final 12 months underneath Dave Canales. As a substitute of there being a most of two performs he can verify to on the line of scrimmage primarily based on what he is seeing from the protection, Mayfield now has three to make sure he can get the correct play towards the correct protection. It additionally makes it that rather more vital that the quarterback and receivers are on the identical web page.

“That is why it was vital for me to do the entire offseason program with the system and with everyone else that was studying it from the get-go. We have had a variety of reps at this level,” mentioned Mayfield, who says the factor Coen has helped him probably the most with is “by no means feeling handcuffed on the line of scrimmage.”

“He has given me all the solutions to presumably have — [it’s] getting up there and making the correct checks,” Mayfield mentioned. “To have the ability to course of that data actually shortly is what he harps on within the QB room, of getting us into a very good place, ‘If it would not look proper, get out of it. You could have the facility to take action.'”

Coen, who labored with Mayfield throughout his five-game stint with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, mentioned the most important change he is seen is in Mayfield’s composure.

“I might say simply his calmness means to form of deal with the entire thing,” Coen mentioned. “He is completely in management, and he’s simply assured. … He is nonetheless making an attempt to show, however he is additionally comfy, which is an efficient factor.”

MAYFIELD AND THE starters did not play a lot within the preseason, however in his lone collection — which got here within the ultimate sport — he accomplished 3-of-3 passing makes an attempt for 54 passing yards.

It included a spotlight reel 28-yard completion to McMillan thrown into double protection earlier than operating again Rachaad White punched it in for a 4-yard rating one play later.

It completed a objective Mayfield and the offense had set of scoring on their first possession of the preseason — one thing they did not do all final season.

“We talked about all of it offseason, how we wanted to start out quicker,” Mayfield mentioned. “We will have an amazing protection, so leaping out early is one thing that is vital for us — simply to set the tone. We must be environment friendly early on. We needn’t wait to get hit within the mouth to determine issues out.”

Mayfield additionally believes a variety of their points final 12 months up till halfway and even late within the season stemmed from a scarcity of an identification, which he now believes is their versatility.

Their floor sport confirmed promise within the preseason, with operating backs averaging 4.1 yards per carry, after averaging a league-worst 3.4 yards final season.

They’re going to proceed to make the most of White within the passing sport — one thing they did not actually deal with till Week 9 on the Buffalo Bills final season. Godwin has moved again into the acquainted confines of the slot, the place the Bucs’ No. 2 large receiver has been his most efficient. His 236 receptions there are third most of any receiver within the league since 2019.

Their offense has been jazzed up with extra movement — each pre-snap and on the snap. In accordance with ESPN Statistics & Data, the Bucs used movement earlier than or on the snap on 42.8% of their snaps in 2023, which was twenty fifth within the NFL. They’re additionally using extra movement of their run sport. For instance, within the third preseason sport, an remoted McMillan got here throughout the again of the formation on a pretend jet sweep as Mayfield handed the ball off to White.

“We did not do a ton of that previously,” Godwin mentioned. “I feel we sprinkled a bit little bit of it in, however that wasn’t just like the final teaching workers’s philosophy. In order that was one thing that we needed to alter to, and we’re nonetheless form of working by just like the kinks of all of it, however that is one thing that I feel they love to do.”

Nonetheless, Mayfield is the one operating the present and connecting the dots for all the brand new wrinkles and philosophies. He is made it a degree to verify all the guys are on the identical web page. Throughout camp, he would steadily hunt down his receiving targets after a collection, the place he’d share suggestions. It is a two-way road, as properly.

“There’s not a query about who the man is. He is aware of that it is his staff, and I feel he strikes accordingly,” Godwin mentioned. “Not even in like an conceited approach or something, however similar to understanding the extent of communication that should occur between him and the remainder of the fellows about the place we must be at, about enhancing particular performs or simply making an attempt to speak the issues that him and Liam speak about, in order that we’re all on the identical web page.”

Lewis mentioned that whereas Mayfield’s at all times been a “natural-born chief,” and he is in a position to present it extra now that he has a 12 months underneath his belt with the group. He is set to dig his ft in and kick 12 months 2 off towards the Washington Commanders on Sept. 8 (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX) at Raymond James Stadium and attempt to do exactly that.

“Whenever you’re in a ‘show it’ frame of mind, and you have been let go a pair instances, you simply form of hold your head down and grind,” Lewis mentioned. “Now he is the man that is aware of that is his locker room and he is bringing guys together with him.

“He making an attempt to get guys on the identical web page. You simply see the boldness degree and the load lifted off his shoulders, that he is discovered a house — that is his dwelling.”