Baker Mayfield Injury Update Tanks Bucs' Odds vs. Cowboys in NFL Week 5, Playoff Odds and More

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield could miss anywhere from three to six weeks with the dislocated thumb that he suffered in Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Mayfield was ruled out for the team's loss against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4, and his initial timeline -- givem by head coach Todd Bowles -- of three weeks may not be a gurantee.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Mayfield's return to action will depend on how quickly he is able to grip a football, and that could spell disaster for the now 0-4 Bucs.

"Sources told ESPN that Mayfield is dealing with a dislocated thumb that is expected to sideline the star quarterback anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on how quickly he is able to grip the football," Schefter wrote on Sunday.

"At this point, it's hard to predict when that will be, but three weeks without Mayfield is the Bucs' best hope."

With Mayfield out, the Bucs turned to undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels in Week 4. As expected, there were some ups and downs with his performance against Green Bay. The former Kansas star threw for 148 yards, one score and two picks in the loss, leading the Tampa Bay offense to 14 points. He also added eight carries for 55 yards on the ground.

Mayfield's injury has moved the Bucs' odds in Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys by half a point, as they were 9.5-point underdogs in the lookahead line and are now 10-point dogs for Thursday night's battle. DraftKings Sportsbook has set the Bucs at +400 on the moneyline, which translates to an implied probability of 20 percent to win this Week 5 clash.

Before Mayfield went down, the Bucs' playoff chances were already in jeopardy, and it appears the team is staring down an 0-5 start in 2026. The Bucs have seen their playoff odds shrink to +690, which is tied for the fourth-worst mark in the NFL.

Tampa Bay also fell from +10000 to +15000 to win the Super Bowl after losing its Week 4 matchup with the Packers.

If Mayfield ends up missing six weeks with his thumb injury, it's very possible that the Bucs have no chance to make the postseason by then, even though they play in the weak NFC South.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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