Can Bucs’ Baker Mayfield survive another OC change?

For the fourth straight season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will field a new offensive coordinator as Josh Grizzard takes the reins following Liam Coen's move to Jacksonville.

It's been a revolving door at the spot under head coach Todd Bowles. The Buccaneers fired Byron Leftwich following the 2022 season. Since then, Dave Canales and Coen have both made the leap to head coaching positions after just one season with the franchise.

The latest departure had to be somewhat disappointing for star quarterback Baker Mayfield. In 2024, he had the best season of his career, completing 407/550 passes for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns to 16 interceptions while adding 378 yards and three more scores on the ground.

The theme of Mayfield's time at the NFL level has been a lack of consistency around him, to no fault of his own. Since being selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 1 pick in 2018, Mayfield has played under seven different offensive coordinators.

That will obviously continue in 2025, though it does help that Grizzard was Tampa Bay's pass game coordinator last season. Mayfield has had nothing but positive things to say about the promotion thus far.

Regardless, it's worth wondering if the constant changes will impact Mayfield this fall. After all, Grizzard doesn't have any previous experience as an offensive coordinator.

CBS Sports' Garrett Podell believes this is the biggest question that will define the Buccaneers' season.

"Mayfield has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first two years as the Buccaneers starting quarterback in both 2023 and 2024," Podell wrote. "Both of those seasons have been under now-departed offensive coordinators in 2023 (now-Panthers head coach Dave Canales) and in 2024 (now-Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen)."

"In 2025, Mayfield is set to enter his eighth NFL season while playing for his eighth different NFL offensive coordinator in Josh Grizzard, who was Coen's passing game coordinator last season," Podell continued. "Last season under Coen, Mayfield became the fourth player in NFL history to throw for 40 or more touchdowns (41) on a completion percentage of 70% (71.4%) or higher. He joined Drew Brees (2011), Aaron Rodgers (2020) and Joe Burrow (2024) in that elite club."

As Podell goes on to note, it might not matter who ends up calling the plays for Tampa Bay. With Mayfield running the show and a cast of skill players which includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving, Cade Otton, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Rachaad White, along with the offensive line, this is an offense to be reckoned with.

"Will Mayfield defy the odds and remain a top 10 quarterback once again in 2025 with another new offensive coordinator? Grizzard has never been a coordinator at either the college or NFL level until now," Podell added. "Bolstering Mayfield's supporting cast to offset the lack of continuity at OC is one of the reasons why the Buccaneers drafted Ohio State's all-time receptions leader (205) Emeka Egbuka in the first round."

Mayfield has been named to back-to-back Pro Bowls since signing with the Buccaneers in 2023. He's flipped the script on his career, going from struggling to find a home to securing a three-year/$100 million deal in Tampa.

Always an underdog, it's probably smarter to bet on Mayfield than against him.

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