Baker Mayfield’s comeback was rooted in more than just improved play. He’ll first step on the field this Sunday, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Arizona Cardinals. Considering the past week in which he was unable to practice fully due to a low-grade sprain of his left, non-throwing shoulder, Mayfield has shown tremendous progress. As the week’s gone on, he’s really shown how much he’s improved.
On Wednesday, he was limited in practice, but he showed a greater range of motion and overall life by Thursday. Friday marked a notable turnaround, with Mayfield moving around perfectly, prompting head coach Todd Bowles to express optimism about his return.
“He looked good today, so he is trending to play,” – Todd Bowles
Mayfield dislocated his shoulder last week against the Los Angeles Rams. The injury laid the groundwork for him being benched for the entire second half of the furious 34-7 rout. We get that he’s playing a long game and being careful with his recovery. He explained how this injury differs immensely from the one he had while playing for the Cleveland Browns in 2021.
As of Wednesday, Mayfield was feeling less pain, which has played a large role in his recovery since becoming day-to-day. All week long, backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater got most of the starters’ reps while Mayfield tried to recover through the trunk injury.
In 2021, I was unable to enjoy life as I used to due to my injured shoulder. It had a profound impact on my mobility, too. And that’s the simplest thing of all, the biggest thing — I don’t want to be a drag on this rock star team, Mayfield specifically stressed, highlighting his desire to make sure he’s sound enough to help make this clear.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently in a tight race for the NFC South title, holding a slim half-game lead over the Carolina Panthers. With just five games remaining and all so important, the team considers every game a “must-win scenario.” In addition to such a daunting slate, two of those games are against the Panthers, giving Mayfield’s possible return even more importance.
As the Buccaneers look forward to their upcoming showdown with the Cardinals, they’re looking forward to Mayfield’s return on Sunday. His return would likely be a welcome boost for a team competing for playoff positioning while enduring an unforgiving race within their own strong division.
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