Bucs say QB Mayfield out at least three weeks with dislocated thumb — SkimNews
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- Baker Mayfield dislocated his throwing-hand thumb on a fourth-and-13 play with 1:54 remaining in Sunday's loss to Minnesota, when he was hit by inside linebacker Blake Cashman while attempting a pass that was intercepted by Andrew Van Ginkel.
- An MRI showed no ligament or tendon damage, and coach Todd Bowles said no surgery is required, though Mayfield must first regain the ability to grip a football before returning to action.
- Jalon Daniels, an undrafted free agent out of Kansas who beat out Jake Browning for the No. 2 job in preseason, will start — becoming the first Buccaneers rookie QB to start a game since Jameis Winston in 2015.
- Tampa Bay is 0-3 for the first time since 2014, and Mayfield has taken a league-high 13 sacks just five days after signing a three-year, $165 million extension with the franchise.
- Bowles said the Buccaneers will pursue outside help via a veteran or practice-squad addition; Easton Stick, who has played in six NFL games (four starts) across 2020 and 2023 with the Los Angeles Chargers, currently occupies the practice squad.
- In preseason action, Daniels completed 27 of 44 passes for 239 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, with Bowles praising his confidence and ability to operate outside the pocket.
Why it matters: Mayfield, who just signed a three-year, $165 million extension days before the opener, now sits on the sideline during a season that has already gone off the rails — Tampa Bay's 0-3 start and his league-high 13 sacks taken raise real questions about whether that commitment was premature. Daniels, an undrafted free agent with zero NFL regular-season snaps, is the only other QB on the 53-man roster, meaning the next three weeks effectively decide whether Tampa Bay buys a veteran bridge or commits to a developmental rookie behind a porous offensive line that just allowed six sacks to the Vikings.
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