It's been tough sledding for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in recent weeks, as the team has now lost four of its last five games after Sunday evening's road demolition at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. In that game, quarterback Baker Mayfield was forced to exit the contest due to a strain in his non-throwing shoulder, and he was unable to return, opening up the door for backup Teddy Bridgewater to finish the game.
Up next for the Buccaneers is a seemingly easier matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and recently, the team got a positive update on Mayfield's potential status for that game.
“#Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles says Teddy Bridgewater will get most of the starters’ reps this week but Baker Mayfield remains in play to start against the #AZCardinals Sunday depending on how he’s feeling by the end of the week,” reported NFL insider Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network on X, formerly Twitter.
The Cardinals have been in a tailspin for the majority of this season, so they aren't necessarily an opponent that the Buccaneers will absolutely have to have Mayfield in the lineup in order to beat.
However, for a Buccaneers team that has already been ravaged by the injury bug so far this season, a prolonged injury absence for Mayfield in the last thing they need right now.
The good news for Tampa Bay is that the schedule lightens up considerably over the season's last month, meaning the team should have ample opportunity to stack wins and increase their lead over the Carolina Panthers for first place in the not-so-vaunted NFC South. Having Mayfield back should only help them out in that effort.
In any case, the Buccaneers and Cardinals are slated to kick things off on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm ET from Tampa Bay.
