Is Baker Mayfield Trying to Come Back Earlier Than the Buccaneers' Timetable?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on a quest to get their first win — and save their season — in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers. It'll be a tough task given how poor the team has looked over the first two weeks, but it'll be even harder with a backup quarterback.

The Bucs are rolling with undrafted free agent rookie Jalon Daniels at starter after incumbent signal caller Baker Mayfield dislocated his thumb at the end of the game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. When asked what Mayfield's timetable was, Bowles confirmed that following Monday that the team expected him to be out for at least three weeks.

Mayfield is no stranger to playing through injury, though. And a new report from The Ringer's Tom Pelissero may indicate that Mayfield is trying to beat his timeline.

Mayfield Getting Stitches Removed From Thumb

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) scrambles with the ball against the Minnesota Vikings | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pelissero reported on Saturday that Mayfield is getting the stitches removed from his thumb on Monday, which he added is part of his quest to beat his initial three-week timeline.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield is scheduled to have stitches removed from his thumb Monday — an important step as he pushes to beat the three-week timeline for returning.

More in The Sweep:https://t.co/1GBRb85fBa pic.twitter.com/mhL84q6M7B
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 3, 2026

What exactly does that mean, though? The first thing to note is that three weeks do not equal three games in this instance.

The Bucs have a unique scenario in the next few days where they'll play the Packers on Sunday and then travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football just four days later. The Bucs then do not play the following Sunday, of course, and then they'll play the next Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home.

Because of that, that Steelers game will be three weeks after the Sunday when Mayfield dislocated his thumb, which would be just two games missed. Mayfield may be shooting for this benchmark — alternatively, he could be trying to come back faster.

Mayfield playing against the Cowboys seems like a very tall task, however, so expecting that may be misguided. That Steelers game looks to be the best target. But Mayfield has played through injury before and could be trying to make it back way before then — especially if the Bucs win on Sunday against the Packers.

For now, the Bucs have to go with Daniels against the Packers in Raymond James Stadium at 1 p.m. on Sunday. If the Bucs fall to 0-4, their playoff chances are almost entirely squandered. A win could keep them alive in the NFC South, though, and that may be exactly what Mayfield is thinking when it comes to his return timetable.

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