TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and teammates are aiming higher in 2025, and Mayfield uttering the words "Super Bowl" at the start of training camp shouldn't come off as audacious -- especially given his career revival that coincided with Tampa Bay's post-Tom Brady era.
Tampa Bay has won NFC South divisional titles in back-to-back seasons with Mayfield under center, and got as far as the divisional round of the playoffs in 2023 -- falling to the Detroit Lions 31-23 -- and losing by a field goal 23-20 against the Washington Commanders in the 2024 wild-card round.
"We set our own standard, and our standard is we win the division the last few years," Mayfield said. "We are not just trying to do that; we are trying to take it to the next level. So, when you set the standard, you try and live up to it each day. That is what we are trying to do in training camp right now, elevate each other, get better each day at whatever you are trying to focus on. So yeah, the goal is Super Bowl."
Mayfield is coming off his best statistical NFL season, but he's also trying to cut down on turnovers after throwing a league-high-tying 16 picks a year ago. On top of that is navigating the absence of All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs and Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin, who are both recovering from injuries. Speaking of injuries -- Mayfield himself has been dealing with a contusion to his throwing hand that forced him to miss multiple practices last week. And then there's new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard's offense -- very similar to the one he played in last year under Liam Coen -- but with some new wrinkles.
Regarding the turnovers, coach Todd Bowles said the Bucs are not trying to change who Mayfield is. There have been concerns about the shots he takes when making plays outside the pocket, but it's that same "whatever it takes" attitude that might send him barreling headfirst into the pylon and gets his team critical first downs and fires up teammates.
"[He] has definitely got to play his game," Bowles said. "We're not trying to limit him as far as playing his game. We've just got to be smarter with a few more decisions going forward. He throws a lot of touchdowns and he makes a lot of plays for us. We just want to cut that interception ratio down."
Last season, Mayfield threw for 41 touchdowns -- tied for second most in the NFL with Lamar Jackson, and trailing only Joe Burrow (43). But the 16 picks were tied for the most in the league with Atlanta's Kirk Cousins -- a player who was benched late in the season in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. The key difference between Cousins and Mayfield is that Mayfield was able to atone for his mistakes by consistently putting points on the board.
"There is going to be an errant throw that, obviously, I am not trying to throw it to the defense, but I just miss it," Mayfield said. "Physical mistakes are going to happen. It is more the decision making. Those are the ones that when we talk about situationally, how to be aggressive, where are we at in the field, and what are we looking at? Those are the ones that I am really trying to fine tune..."
As far as the injuries, Wirfs is still on crutches after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in July, but he's been walking well with them and has even been seen standing without them.
The Bucs signed Charlie Heck this offseason to be their backup swing tackle, and he's been lining up at Wirfs' left tackle spot. They've looked at other offensive tackles as well, but have stayed with Heck to this point and haven't had to change what they installed in the spring.
"Especially with the blitzes we're having out there, we're trying to be on the same page and trying to pick that up," Grizzard said. "[Heck is] off to a good start. Again, we're not really adjusting it and we might not have to adjust it. At this point, he's just been out there playing ball."
Heck has surrendered would-be sacks to edge rushers Chris Braswell and Yaya Diaby in practice. But Grizzard can certainly make adjustments if needed, like utilizing a tight end to chip -- which they did last year to help backup tackle Justin Skule.
"Last year we lost Luke [Goedeke]," Mayfield said. "When it comes to game planning, actually game planning against an opponent in season, you know your protection fixes. You know what you need to do. I think that was the step for me that Liam [Coen] pushed me to do last year was, 'How quickly you can eliminate things, get the ball out?' Whether it's checking to a screen, checking the protection, getting to a great concept, and just get the ball out of your hands. So yeah, it's a challenge, but Grizz was around for that when he had to deal with it. He was part of the game plan stuff. So, we will adjust into that."
As far as Godwin, he has yet to do any running or cutting on the field while the team is practicing. Both he and Wirfs are currently on the active/PUP list, but can be activated at any time during the camp or the preseason if either are ready. As the season approaches, the chances of seeing either of them in Week 1 grow slimmer and slimmer.
Rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs' first-round draft pick, has been a terrific addition. The coaching staff says he communicates well and has been a fast learner. His physical makeup at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds is strong enough for Egbuka to make plays in traffic as a big slot receiver. Plus, he has a similar steadiness to Godwin in temperament, which complements a more animated group.
"What [Egbuka] has been able to do as a rookie has been unbelievable," Grizzard said. "Once the ball is snapped -- and you guys have seen it -- he's been getting open. You can tell how strong he is through the catch -- his YAC has been great. Of course, he's a really good blocker. He's such a cultural fit, as well, it's been off to a good start for him."
There's already palpable chemistry between Egbuka and Grizzard and a clear understanding from Egbuka of what being a pro receiver means.
"There's 1,000 outcomes that can happen over the course of a game and a specific set of plays, so you've gotta be ready for everything," Egbuka said. "Being a receiver is about being a problem solver. You can run a 4.20 40 and that's great. And you can jump a 45-inch vertical but if you're not a problem solver and you can't get open and recognize coverage, those tools you have aren't gonna be able to be used. So understanding the defense, coverages, the offense, the checks -- all this type of stuff is what helps people thrive at this level."
As far as Grizzard's system, there's already a comfort level as he was the Bucs' pass game coordinator last year and was responsible for third down, where the Bucs' 50.9% conversion rate was best in the NFL.
But Grizzard does want to see the Bucs having more of a vertical threat to their offense than they did last season. They averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt last season (sixth most in the league) but that's been more of a product of their yards after the catch. When you look at air yards -- the distance the ball actually travels through the air -- that number drops to 6.7 yards per attempt and falls to 26th in the league.
You can see the new emphasis on downfield passing when Mayfield has fired deep shots downfield to Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan, Egbuka and fellow rookie Tez Johnson, who has been clocked as fast as 22.17 MPH during wide receiver drills on go routes according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
"With the ball in his hands, he is a crazy athlete," Evans said of Johnson. "He catches the ball really well for a smaller, faster guy. Because a lot of smaller guys do not have the best hands, but he has really good hands."
Evans thinks Mayfield's in good hands too with his supporting cast, adding, "This is one of the most talented -- if not the most talented -- receiver groups I have been a part of."