Baker Mayfield Undergoes MRI, Comes Back Clean

The injury-riddled season for NFL QBs continues as Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated thumb this weekend in the fourth quarter of their 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The Tampa Bay Bucs starter underwent an MRI that came back clean, showing no ligament damage and no fracture to his thumb. Unfortunately for Mayfield, he is still expected to miss time, with no timetable set by head coach Todd Bowles yet.

The QB recently agreed to a three-year extension with the Bucs.

Mayfield is expected to seek a second opinion, according to reports, before the recovery timeline is set.

His teammates praised his ability to fight even though the game not only ended with an injury to Mayfield, but also a tough loss that was sealed by Mayfield’s interception in the fourth quarter on a broken play. “He’s a competitor. He was trying to make a play at the end of the game. That’s who he is,” said tackle Tristan Wirfs.

As much as Mayfield’s time out should be limited compared to what could have been, already 0-3, any time missed could be costly for a team that is already behind the eight ball this season.

Jalon Daniels, an undrafted rookie out of the University of Kansas, won the backup job over Jake Browning in the offseason. He is the next man up for the Bucs, which leaves a lot of uncertainty at the QB position in the short term for a team where alarms are already starting to go off early in the season.

Mayfield will likely miss at least three weeks, so the season could very well be over for the team if Daniels does not perform in Mayfield’s absence. Daniels will have to find a way to win some games before he returns, or else it will be another lost year for Tampa Bay.

It’s unlikely we would see any moves be made for a short-term injury like this.