The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found their Tom Brady replacement. The Buccaneers have brought in Baker Mayfield as their next potential starting quarterback.
Tampa Bay signed Mayfield to a one-year contract worth up to $8.5 million, via ESPN's Adam Schefter. He will now compete with Kyle Trask for the opportunity to replace Tom Brady on the Buccaneers.
Mayfield has had a tumultuous NFL career. He spent four years in Cleveland after the Browns drafted him first overall in 2018. But after a bad breakup, he was traded to the Panthers. His time in Carolina lasted just six games before he was released. Mayfield ended the season as the Los Angeles Rams starting quarterback.
Overall, Mayfield has started 69 games in the NFL, going 31-38. Appearing in 72 total, Mayfield has thrown for 16,288 yards and 102 touchdowns. He has added 660 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
While Baker Mayfield isn't guaranteed the starting position, the fact that Tampa Bay went out and signed him is very telling. Kyle Trask is currently the only other quarterback on the Buccaneers' roster. Trask has just nine passing attempts at the NFL level. For all his struggles, Mayfield comes to Tampa with much, much more experience than Trask.
Either one will have trouble truly replacing Brady. The future Hall of Famer helped lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title. However, with his retirement, Tampa needed to look in another direction.
That direction has now come in the form of Mayfield. While he hasn't lived up to expectations, Mayfield is a former No. 1 overall pick. Head coach Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers will hope Mayfield can reinvent himself if he earns the role of starting quarterback.