Mayfield back at practice; start for Sunday still projected
Baker Mayfield officially returned to practice on Wednesday, a development that puts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback situation back in focus ahead of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
Yahoo! News has reported (rumor) that Mayfield dislocated his thumb during Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings and suggested he could make his return in Week 7. The same outlet projected that Mayfield could return to help the team this Sunday and noted that the team’s practice report listed him as a full participant—an indication, Yahoo! News projected, that he would likely start against Carolina.
Head coach Todd Bowles told the media earlier in the week that the team would initially prepare as if Jalon Daniels were starting, a plan reflecting that Tampa Bay has been working with multiple contingency plans at quarterback while final decisions are sorted out.
Why Mayfield’s availability matters for a struggling Bucs team
Mayfield officially returned to practice and, according to the team’s practice report, was a full participant. He dislocated his thumb in Week 3 and could make his return in Week 7. Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday the team would initially prepare as if Daniels were starting.
Yahoo! News projected that, despite a 1-5 start to the season, Tampa Bay remains in the playoff conversation and that Mayfield’s presence could be consequential for the club’s immediate fortunes. The timing of a potential return—if he indeed starts Sunday—would come at a critical juncture for a team trying to reverse a rough stretch in the NFC South.
Bowles’ comment that the team would prepare as if Daniels were starting underscores the coaching staff’s caution. Preparing two quarterbacks simultaneously allows the Bucs to stay ready regardless of how final evaluations from practice and medical staff come down late in the week.
Short-term clarity, longer-term questions
For now, the strongest confirmed fact is Mayfield’s return to Wednesday practice; other details—his Week 3 thumb dislocation and the likelihood of a Week 7 start—remain reported as a rumor and projections by Yahoo! News. The Buccaneers’ staff will have the last word on the active roster and starter designation closer to game time.
Should Mayfield take the field Sunday, his performance will be watched as a potential turning point for a Tampa Bay offense that needs stability. If he does not, the team’s decision to prepare as if another quarterback will start signals a pragmatic approach to an uncertain quarterback room.
