Baker Mayfield’s Performance Under Scrutiny After Second Loss

After a defeat in their Week 1 opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered another setback in Week 2. They lost to Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns with a score of 23-19. The Browns secured an impressive comeback victory, while Mayfield struggled to lead his team to the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

The consecutive losses have intensified scrutiny over Mayfield’s salary. Former NFL running back Damien Harris, now a CBS Sports analyst, criticized the decision to pay Mayfield heavily. Harris stated, “Baker Mayfield isn’t worth that money. That’s been the tale of his career. Sometimes he plays like it, but sometimes he doesn’t.” He questioned the wisdom of guaranteeing such a large sum to a quarterback with inconsistent performance.

“Are you gonna get the hot hand or the cold Baker Mayfield? That’s what we’re seeing the past two games,” Harris said on CBS Sports HQ. “He’s not living up to the contract.”

Harris also noted other team issues, including the underperformance of players like Emeka Egbuka and problems with the run game. However, he stressed that Mayfield is “not playing well.”

In the latest game, Mayfield achieved a 61.8% completion rate, throwing for 182 yards and one touchdown. He also threw an interception, which the Browns converted into a field goal, impacting the final score. Harris highlighted Mayfield’s earlier mistakes, noting three turnovers in Week 1 that aided the Bengals’ victory.

ESPN reported in September that Mayfield signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Buccaneers. An 0-2 season start raises questions about the value of this contract, though Mayfield has time to recover and potentially lead the Bucs to victories.

The Buccaneers will have an opportunity to recover in Week 3, facing the undefeated Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 4:25 p.m. ET.