'Difficult to Maintain' Lofty Expectations for Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Says PFF

While ranking all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL, Pro Football Focus puts Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield near the bottom.

It's nothing new that folks these days don't see a ton of potential in new Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. 

Mayfield's road from the Cleveland Browns to the Buccaneers has been a short one, but perhaps one of the bumpiest. 

And in the short time it took for him to go from the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2018 to joining offensive coordinator Dave Canales with Tampa Bay, his reputation - which honestly wasn't all that glowing in Cleveland - took a major hit. 

This is one reason Pro Football Focus recently ranked Mayfield No. 28 among all NFL starters (expected in the case of those facing a battle). 

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"It's difficult to argue that Mayfield's 2022 season was easily predictable, but it's equally difficult to maintain any kind of lofty expectations for him going forward after witnessing it," PFF's Sam Monson wrote of the quarterback in his rankings column. "His 50.6 PFF grade on the year was 13 grading points lower than his previous career-worst mark (which involved a torn shoulder), and it speaks volumes that the Rams were happy to let him walk...Mayfield has very good play on his NFL resume, but it's getting harder and harder to see it in the rearview mirror."

Coming in 28th Mayfield not only ranks low among his league peers, but he's the second-lowest ranked quarterback in the NFC South Division. 

Only Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder comes in lower ranked No. 31 overall. 

Colt McCoy (No. 29) of the Arizona Cardinals, C.J. Stroud (No. 30) of the Houston Texans, and Anthony Richardson (No. 32) of the Indianapolis Colts are the others who rank lower than Mayfield. 

Meanwhile, Derek Carr gets the distinction of being the highest-ranked starting quarterback in the division bringing the New Orleans Saints in at No. 14. 

Carolina Panthers rookie Bryce Young starts his NFL career ranked No. 25.

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Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82

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