Baker Mayfield Opens Up on Decision to Join Buccaneers After Tom Brady Retirement

Baker Mayfield opened up on his decision to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Tom Brady's retirement.

Baker Mayfield has had somewhat of a tumultuous NFL career. The former first overall pick out of the University of Oklahoma had a slow start in the first couple of seasons with the Cleveland Browns, before breaking out in his third year helping the Browns go 11-5 and making the playoffs for the first time in what felt forever.

That seemed like forever ago and things quickly evaporated for Baker and the Browns as the level of play was not up to the standards they once were, and Baker was eventually traded to the Carolina Panthers following his four-year stint with the Browns.

With a new home, things were looking up for Baker, but they didn't really pan out in Carolina either as he went 1-5 through his first six games leading the Panthers to release him. When things seemed bleak for his next opportunity to be a starter in the NFL, Mayfield caught another break as he was eventually claimed by the Las Angeles Rams due to their other quarterbacks being injured.

READ MORE: NFL Insider Believes Some Bucs Players Are 'Relieved' That Tom Brady Retired

After a promising start to his time with the Rams, Mayfield only started four games (going 1-3), but showed enough moxie and glimpses of old Baker to warrant pursuing a starting gig in the NFL come 2023 when he hit free agency.

Baker ended up signing a cheap one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to battle fellow quarterback, Kyle Trask, for the team's starting quarterback spot. Now that he is settled in Tampa Bay, Mayfield opened up about his decision to join the Buccaneers.

“I finally had some [time] to think, I think that’s the key word,” Mayfield told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “And, yeah, just looking at it from a big-picture standpoint, I want to play this game for a long time. So where’s the next spot that’s going to be the most stable position, where I can come in and compete, and do the best I can to showcase what I’m capable of?”

“This is a great opportunity to do so. Normally when a spot like this opens up, it’s because bad things have happened,” Mayfield told Breer. “But this one, it’s just because Tom [Brady] retired. So it’s a perfect opportunity for me.”

READ MORE: Former Bucs' Wide Receiver Sends Message to Tampa Bay After Signing with Rival

Mayfield will have plenty of weapons at his disposal in Tampa Bay, but it will be up to him whether or not he will earn the Buccaneers' starting quarterback title.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2023 offseason.

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook