Who was the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick the year you were born?
And the first pick was …
Tag: Baker Mayfield
Peyton Manning caught Drake Maye taking in advice from Pro Bowl QB
Drake Maye was caught chatting football with Baker Mayfield at the Pro Bowl
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye took in every moment of his Pro Bowl experience, and a Pro Football Hall of Famer was taking notice.
Peyton Manning appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and talked about Maye’s willingness to learn the game. Most notably, he said he noticed the young quarterback in a productive conversation with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“Last night, I saw Drake Maye having a conversation with Baker Mayfield,” said Manning. “To me, there’s room for that in a young quarterback like Drake Maye learning how to be a pro, learning how to go through a coaching change, which Baker Mayfield has done several times. That’s the value.”
Maye showed tremendous promise as a rookie quarterback last season, and the Patriots are hopeful his talent will take a massive jump in 2025.
They’ve surrounded him with what some deem an all-star cast of coaches led by Mike Vrabel. It could be the necessary change for him to take things to the next level.
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Could Bucs star wide receiver be an option for Commanders?
The Commanders need another wide receiver in 2025. Could this Bucs star be an option?
The Washington Commanders must find another wide receiver to help Terry McLaurin in 2025. Since being drafted in 2019, the Commanders have never had a legitimate No. 2 or 1b opposite McLaurin, and he still manages to produce 1,000-yard seasons.
The popular name ahead of free agency is Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins. Higgins, who was franchised last offseason, is expected to hit unrestricted free agency and have numerous bidders. While Cincinnati would prefer to keep Higgins, the Bengals will likely make Ja’Marr Chase the NFL’s highest-paid receiver.
Washington is in a good position to land Higgins. The Commanders have the third-most salary cap room ahead of free agency and a star young quarterback (Jayden Daniels) to entice Higgins. But Higgins is expected to command around $30 million per season or more, which may be too much for Washington general manager Adam Peters. The Commanders also have other holes to fill and may choose to focus on multiple positions instead of one massive signing.
There happens to be another highly productive free agent this offseason. Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Chris Godwin is a free agent.
Godwin turns 29 later this month and spent his eight-year career with Tampa Bay. He was off to another phenomenal start in 2024 until breaking his ankle in Week 7. Godwin was on pace for a career-high in receptions, yards and touchdowns.
It seems unlikely the Bucs will allow Godwin to test the market. Last offseason, Tampa reached a deal with future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans to keep him in town, and it could be a similar situation for Godwin.
Godwin is a different type of player than Higgins. He is one of the NFL’s best route runners and still possesses good size (6-foot-1, 209) and athleticism. He would be a perfect complement to McLaurin. While he wouldn’t add the game-breaking speed that Washington may look to add, he would give the Commanders another borderline No. 1, someone who’d be a reliable target for Daniels.
A native of Delaware who played collegiately at Penn State, Godwin would be much closer to home if he signed with Washington. The Buccaneers selected Jalen McMillan in the third round last season, and he emerged after Godwin’s absence. His presence doesn’t mean the Bucs would move on from Godwin, though. Tampa Bay would prefer to keep all its top pass-catching options around quarterback Baker Mayfield after a record-breaking season.
Godwin’s price would make him a more logical candidate for the Commanders, but it will be hard to pry him away from Tampa Bay.
Baker Mayfield on Liam Coen taking Jaguars’ head coaching job
At the Pro Bowl games, Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield described his first conversation with Liam Coen after he took the Jaguars’ job.
At the Pro Bowl, Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield was asked about that initial Facetime call with now Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.
“I left him on read for a little bit, just like he left me on read,” Mayfield said. “I made him beg. It was good. I know people are going to be upset about it, but for him, Ashley, and their kids, you can’t argue with that decision. I can’t be mad at that. As much as I would want to have him still here, it is what it is. Life goes on, and I’m happy for him.”
#Bucs Pro Bowl QB Baker Mayfield on Liam Coen FaceTiming him and the OLine in the Bahamas to tell him he was taking the Jaguars HC job. “I left him on red a little bit,” he said. But Mayfield understood it was an opportunity Coen couldn’t pass. pic.twitter.com/6mQPiCXbjq
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 1, 2025
As has been well documented by now, the Bucs offered to make Coen among the highest-paid coordinators in football, which he initially agreed to and withdrew his name from the Jaguars’ job opening.
However, before signing that new deal with Tampa Bay, Coen would end up taking that second interview with Jacksonville, and from there, things moved quickly with him then becoming the next Jaguars’ head coach.
“It started to become more clear every hour that this was an opportunity you can’t pass up, for so many different reasons,” Coen said. “And you ultimately want to do what’s truly best for you and your family, and that’s what this came down to.”
In his one season with the Bucs, Coen helped build one of the more effective offenses in football, with Tampa Bay ranking top-five in scoring, passing yards per game, and rushing yards per game.
At the top of his to-do list in Jacksonville will be putting quarterback Trevor Lawrence in a position to find that kind of success.
Baker Mayfield left Liam Coen ‘on read’ after OC left for Jaguars
While speaking to the media at the Pro Bowl, the former Heisman Trophy winner shared how he found put his coach was leaving.
The never-ending drama that is the departure of Liam Coen from the Bucs coaching staff has a new chapter in the book. The news Jaguars head coach has been the subject of several stories about his departure from the team but his former quarterback, Baker Mayfield, has finally chimed in.
While speaking to the media at the Pro Bowl, the former Heisman Trophy winner shared how he found out his coach was leaving.
Mayfield admits he heard from his former coach but said, “I left him on read a little bit.” He said this with a smile but added that Coen getting this chance was something he understood he had to take.
Mayfield also credited Coen for allowing him to take the next step in his career and helped him a lot as a quarterback. He also shared that he thinks Coen will do really well working with Trevor Lawrence.
Coen was targeted by the Jaguars for his work with quarterbacks.
Coen was replaced by the Bucs on Friday when they announced passing game coordinator Josh Grizzard would be promoted to offensive coordinator. Several Bucs at the Pro Bowl games shared excitement about the move, including Tristan Wirfs, who called him a “Wizzard.”
#Bucs QB Baker Mayfield joked that he left former OC Liam Coen on read when he tried to reach out just like Coen did to him, but at the end of the day, he’s happy for him and his family. pic.twitter.com/ATvQtOEhxd
— PewterReport
(@PewterReport) February 1, 2025
Quarterback metrics
Reviewing the best quarterbacks from 2024
With the regular season concluded, it’s a good time to take a look at how quarterbacks arrayed in varying statistical categories. It was a good year for rookies hitting the ground running and these statistical looks reveal more than just category totals. Let’s take a look at how they fared per play. A minimum of 200 passes were considered.
2024 Fantasy Points
Burrow led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. It was a career year for him and Lamar Jackson continued his hot streak since OC Todd Monken finally found the key to unlock his potential. It was a a year of newness since only four of those quarterbacks above were also in the Top-10 of 2023 (Jackson, Allen, Hurts, Goff). Patrick Mahomes as a fantasy difference-maker has taken a major hit.
Let’s move on to other measurements to see the top leaders from 2024. It’s a way to target rising stars who could perform even better this upcoming season.
Passes per touchdown
Baker Mayfield loses his offensive coordinator of Liam Cohen (Jacksonville head coach), so he’ll have to learn yet another offense. Lamar Jackson coupled with Derrick Henry for the top rushing offense, but that also meant on the occasion he would throw to the end zone, the defense was still tracking down Henry.
Passes per interception
The more passes per interception, the more error-free the quarterbacking. Justin Herbert may have had a young and shaky set of receivers to start the season, but he dominated this metric with only three interceptions on the season. Lamar Jackson was next with just four interceptions. Notable was Caleb Williams who ranked No. 3 despite struggling behind a weak offensive line. Far better than any other rookie quarterback, even Jayden Daniels (53).
Passes per sack
The surprise here is that Deshaun Watson (CLE) and Jalen Hurts (PHI) had what was considered to be above average offensive lines. The Eagles line was considered Top-3 if not the best. And yet they were more often sacked than almost anyone. Hurts propensity to run may have been involved. Caleb Williams was beaten up regularly. This is also a measurement of holding on to the ball for too long, so three rookies is not that shocking.
Yards per completion
Like the deep ball? Seems to come more often from the running quarterbacks that keep the play alive long enough for the receivers to get down the field. Richardson is slated to start again this season, but his problem wasn’t length of completions but his accuracy instead. Not a ton of difference in this metric.
Plays per rush
Those rookie quarterbacks look more likely to bolt than most quarterbacks, but still not as often as Jalen Hurts who didn’t reach four passing plays without taking off on a run. The top rushers were all younger players other than Hurts and Allen. Today’s NFL is kinder to rushing quarterbacks and they show up well in fantasy stats.
Yards per rush
Mostly young quarterbacks here, but encouraging that Drake Maye’s 54 runs over 13 games offered the top mark in the metric. Baker Mayfield only rushed 60 times but performed well when he did. But again, youth be served when looking for a rushing quarterback. Jalen Hurts ran a position-high 150 times but only averaged 4.2 yards, but that includes plenty of tush-pushes to hold down his average.
50-Yard completions
Distance touchdowns are always overvalued in fantasy scoring because they do not happen often or reliably. What is interesting is that the rookie Jayden Daniels (5) led the entire NFL and his receiving corps was limited to Terry McLaurin and … pretty much no one. Jordan Love also excelled at this metric despite not having a clear No. 1 receiver.
Bucs QB coach Thad Lewis interviews for OC job with new team
Bucs quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis is interviewing with the Texans for their vacant offensive coordinator position.
The Bucs coaching staff is getting a lot of interest around the NFL in 2025. They already lost Liam Coen to the Jaguars as their new head coach, and now they may have a another coach to replace as another assistant is interviewing with another team.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Bucs quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis is interviewing with the Texans for their vacant offensive coordinator position.
#Bucs QB coach Thad Lewis has interviewed for the vacant #Texans OC job, source said.
Lewis has received several requests for OC interviews, but this is the first one he’s taken. Houston moved on from OC Bobby Slowik last week.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 28, 2025
Lewis joined the Bucs as an intern in 2020 after his NFL playing career ended in 2017. He then became the Bucs’ assistant wide receivers coach for two seasons before becoming the quarterbacks coach for the 2023 season. He joined as the team brought in Baker Mayfield, and they have had two very productive years together, and Houston has taken notice.
Lewis and Texans are familiar with each other, as he played for them in 2014 after the late Ryan Mallett suffered a season-ending injury.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield gets added to Pro Bowl roster as alternate
The Bucs current quarterback, Baker Mayfield, is entering his third year with the team in 2025 and has now earned a second Pro Bowl.
The Bucs don’t have the richest history at the quarterback position, but recent years have given the fans some memorable years. The play they have gotten from their passers, starting with Tom Brady in 2020, kicked off momentum for the team to be on the high it is currently riding.
The Bucs’ current quarterback, Baker Mayfield, will enter his third year with the team in 2025 and has already earned a second Pro Bowl.
He became the first quarterback in Bucs franchise history to make multiple Pro Bowls as a quarterback. While that may be a sad fact, it remains one that shows the team is starting to get much needed structure in terms of team building.
Mayfield passed for career highs in yards (4,200) and touchdowns (42) on his way to leading the Bucs to their fourth straight NFC South division title. He will be joined at the Pro Bowl games by Mike Evans and Tristan Wirfs making the Bucs offense well represented.
Guess who’s back
@bakermayfield becomes the first Bucs QB to earn multiple Pro Bowl invitations in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/fEqYGFlPeD
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 28, 2025
2025 NFL Free Agency: Projected value of Justin Skule’s next contract
Justin Skule may be a backup on the depth chart but he proved in 2024 that his versatility along the offensive line is priceless.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have many difficult questions to answer this offseason before they prepare for the 2025 season. One that no one wants to think about is, “Will Justin Skule be back in Tampa Bay for 2025?”
Justin Skule may be a backup on the depth chart, but in 2024, he proved that his versatility on the offensive line is priceless.
Justin Skule will be 28 when next season kicks off, and after a strong three seasons with the Bucs, he may finally be hitting his stride. He has not started much during that time, but he has shown flexibility and filling in where needed.
This brings us to the question: What will his next contract be, and should the Bucs pay it?
Over the Cap speculates that as of January 28, Skule will earn a bit more than he did in 2024. The 2025 NFL Draft class was seen as loaded at the tackle position but with so many being projected to move inside to guard or center, Skule could be making himself a lot of money at the right time. They have his current money projected to be around $5.6 million a year and at 28 years old there could be a few years on the deal.
The Bucs are projected to have just $11 million dollars, before any adjustments, in their salary cap this offseason. That small number may make it hard for the Bucs to be able to retain him at that price. Especially considering the team has two bookend tackles in All-Pro Tristan Wirfs and breakout player Luke Goedeke.
Skule may not be back in Tampa Bay but he is likely to be paid well and have a chance to play meaningful reps somewhere in 2025.
What does the Liam Coen extension mean for the future of Todd Bowles?
Whenever an assistant is asked to stay with a team and is rewarded with an extension, questions can arise.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off what was seen by many as a shocking move when they were able to keep Liam Coen in Tampa Bay. The Bucs offensive coordinator was favored to land the Jaguars head coaching vacancy, but an extension will keep Coen in Tampa Bay for 2025.
Questions can arise whenever an assistant is asked to stay with a team and is rewarded with an extension. In the case of Coen, the question now begs to be asked, “What does this mean for Todd Bowles?”
The veteran head coach is in his second stint leading an NFL team with the Bucs after taking over for a retiring Bruce Arians in 2021. Bowles has found success with four straight division titles, but that success has seemingly ended when the regular season does.
Bowles’ Bucs squads are 1-3 in the playoffs, with their lone win coming in 2023. This brings us back to Liam Coen.
Under his direction, the Bucs’ offense exploded in 2024. They saw significant gains in plenty of offensive categories, but most impressive was their rise from last in the league in rushing to third this past season. Baker Mayfield also set career highs under his direction, so the side of the ball that Coen is in charge of is producing.
Meanwhile, Bowles, who is a defensive-minded head coach, has seen his side of the ball be inconsistent over the years. In the last four years, the Bucs’ defense has finished as the 5th, 13th, 7th, and 16th. Some called for Bowles to be replaced after this year’s early playoff exit, but Jason Licht has decided to stick with his head coach for 2025.
What can be insinuated with the Coen extension is that Bowles may be on borrowed time. While there has been no report of Coen agreeing to a deal where he is the head coach in waiting, the NFL is catching onto what the Bucs have on their coaching staff.
Baker Mayfield has two years left on his deal, and if he keeps playing the way he has, he will be in Tampa Bay for the long haul. At this point, both Mayfield and Coen seem tied to each other in the best way possible, they get positive results. If the team decides to move on from Bowles after a disappointing 2025 season in one way or another, Coen makes the most sense for the team to move into the future with.