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BREAKING: Baker Mayfield Tabbed as Tom Brady's Successor in Tampa

Mayfield will have a chance to battle it out with Kyle Trask for the Buccaneers' starting quarterback job.

Collin Haalboom

BREAKING: Baker Mayfield Tabbed as Tom Brady's Successor in Tampa
BREAKING: Baker Mayfield Tabbed as Tom Brady's Successor in Tampa /
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According to Adam Schefter, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to terms with free agent quarterback, Baker Mayfield.

It is a one-year deal for Mayfield, worth up to $8.5 million. 

Following the retirement of Tom Brady, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have undoubtedly been searching for a new leader at the quarterback position.

Similarly, the former No. 1 overall pick, and highly contentious quarterback, Baker Mayfield, has been searching for a franchise to lead.

Whether or not Mayfield will be up to the task in Tampa is difficult to forecast. Not only have members of the Buccaneers' front office and coaching staff openly declared their confidence in third-year, former second-round pick, Kyle Trask, but Mayfield himself has struggled mightily since experiencing success in Cleveland to start off his career.

The Buccaneers will be Mayfield's fourth team in the past two years. 

It now appears as though all of the tweets, articles, and reports linking Mayfield to the Buccaneers weren't just 'clickbait' after all. 

Report: Promising Quarterback Expected to Start for Buccaneers in 2023

Although the Bucs surely want to see what they have in Kyle Trask, one has to assume that Mayfield will be given an equal opportunity to earn the team's starting quarterback job when training camp begins this summer. 

There's no doubt that Mayfield has plenty of talent. Which is why he was the first player off the board in the 2018 NFL draft. Not to mention, he's still just 27 years old — Kyle Trask is 25. 

This is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Buccaneers. Who, because of their salary cap restrictions, have been forced to tone it back in terms of spending this offseason. For just $8.5 million, the Buccaneers can now see whether or not Mayfield's talent can be maximized with this fresh start. If not? No problem. They'll move on with Trask, or whomever else they see fit to lead the franchise for the long haul. 

For continuing coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NFL draft, subscribe to the Bucs Banter YouTube channel. 

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.