The Buccaneers’ quarterback battle pits the 28-year-old “natural born leader” veteran of 71 starts and three teams versus the 25-year-old QB who can count his career pass attempts on two hands.
The winner will succeed Tom Brady, and Brady says experience matters. Brady talked to Jori Epstein of Yahoo! Sports this week talked about Aaron Rodgers adjusting quickly after his trade to the New York Jets.
Unlike Brady coming to Tampa in 2020 and not knowing any coaches, Rodgers played previously for the Jets offensive coordinator. Per Brady, Rodgers has an edge because he only has to get clicking with the talent around him. Joe was intrigued.
Why? Because Brady said teammates should be a quick study for Rodgers since he’s had so many over the years. “He’s familiar with the plays.”
“Now he’s got to get used to the players, which shouldn’t take him a lot of time because he’s played with a lot of players over time,” Brady said.
That got Joe thinking about Baker Mayfield getting traded from the tanking-unsuccessfully Panthers last season to the Rams, where he walked off the street and won a game in prime time with only a few days to prepare. That’s the mark of experience. Will Todd Bowles be intoxicated by dreams of Mayfield starting fast in Minnesota in Week 1?
Reality says Bowles desperately needs to start the season at least 2-2 before the Bucs’ Week 5 bye to keep pressure off his job and the team.
No, Joe is not painting Mayfield as a miracle worker. He started quite slowly for the Panthers last season, though Carolina was a team in disarray.
Still, Joe continues to see Mayfield as the Bucs’ opening day starter. Joe finds it hard to believe Bowles will want to roll with Trask out of the gate, given his lack of experience and Bowles’ job on the line with a tough early schedule.
If Mayfield starts and can’t hit the ground running, then Bowles can always switch to Trask at the bye week. Joe believes Bowles will see the competition in that light unless Trask finds a way to wow him in a big way come August.
