The Oklahoma native who won the Heisman Trophy and was selected first overall in the 2018 draft has not had the successful NFL career he envisioned since entering the league. He had spent the previous four years with the Browns before being dealt to the Panthers over the offseason. The Rams were the team that picked him up off waivers in December, and they were the team that he concluded the year with.
“It’s not how I drew my career up by any means,” Mayfield said Monday at his introductory news conference. “If I was to tell you how it would go based on a plan, I wouldn’t have said that I put on three different uniforms in year 2022, but that’s how it happens.
“So, you’ve got to learn from it. Roll with the punches, trust in God’s plan. But yeah, I’ve grown a lot. I appreciate everything that has happened throughout my journey, and it’s helped me get here today.”
“I’ve played a lot of ball. I’ve seen a decent amount, so I can help people out behind the scenes like I did last year and enjoy the process,” he said. “This is a dream I’m living. Why not enjoy it? But right now, I want to compete and I want to win.”
Mayfield has accepted that he will compete with Kyle Trask for the starting position with the Buccaneers.
“I have not spoken to Kyle yet,” he said. “I’ve just watched him through the college stuff over the years, and I’ve always been a big fan. I thought he was really talented coming out and, yeah, I’m excited for it.
“To me, competition brings the best out of everybody. I’ve always believed that, and that’s just true for all sports. You know, it teaches you how to compete, it teaches you how to, you know, win and lose the right way, and there’s a learning process the whole way. I think Kyle and I were gonna push each other no matter what happens, and I think we’re going to make the most of it.”
With the Buccs shifting to a rebuild mode, Baker gets an opportunity to succeed. This is likely his last chance, however, he does have two excellent wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and an emerging Tight End Cade Otton to throw too.
