Turmoil in Tampa Bay: Buccaneers' Strategy Struggles
Baker Mayfield and Vita Vea are among the key Bucs players pushing for trades and hefty contracts amidst concerns over team management and performance issues.
Video Transcript
Well, let's start it off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
An absolute train wreck going on for Jason Licht, the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
So let's put this all in context here.
Mike Evans in the off-season says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not a Super Bowl contending team.
What does he do?
One of the greatest, if not the greatest offensive player in the history of the Buccaneers decides to leave and go to San Francisco.
In his introduction interview and his introduction press conference, what does he say?
"I'm glad to be in a place that has a true chance to win a Super Bowl."
Fast-forward.
Now you end up pissing off Vita Vea, their best defensive lineman that they've had since Warren Sapp.
Look, Tampa Bay doesn't do a lot of good things on defense, but a year ago the one thing that they do do well, that is stop the run.
And if you don't have Vita Vea on the field, you are not a good defensive football team.
What does he say?
"I demand a trade."
Contract negotiation's not going very well.
He wants to go play on the West Coast, either with the San Francisco 49ers or with the Las Vegas Raiders, and so they have to deal with that mess.
Then they piss on Baker Mayfield.
Look, Baker Mayfield came to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and remember something, he had to go and battle out whether or not he was gonna be the starting quarterback after Tom Brady with that stiff Kyle Trask, who has done nothing, and getting workouts now to hopefully end up making a football team.
That was a poor draft choice by Jason Licht.
That was supposed to be the heir apparent to Tom Brady, the second round pick out of Florida.
What happens?
Well, Baker Mayfield in three years has rejuvenated his career.
It's been one of the best reclamation projects next to Sam Darnold, and here he is.
He's looking for a contract that's got a five on it.
You know what the Buccaneers offered?
A two-year extension.
He's like, "Forget it."
Let's not forget something about Baker Mayfield.
Baker Mayfield has gambled on himself before.
He did it at Texas Tech, he did it at Oklahoma, and he'll do it again here.
You talk about an open market at the end of this year.
If Mayfield has a year like he did two years ago and he puts up 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, you're gonna have a boatload of teams vying for his services.
And one of the things you have to love about this guy, let's not forget the incompetence of the Carolina Panthers.
They had both Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield playing scout team defensive end three years ago.
Think they'd like to have that project back again and maybe have one of those guys as their starting quarterback?
Absolutely true.
Man, Mayfield wants a deal and the Bucs have hedged.
Guy's delivered.
It's time to pay the guy.
