Will Buccaneers Make Big Decision After Baker Mayfield Injury?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found themselves in a situation they couldn't have imagined just four weeks ago. Not only is the team 0-3, but now they'll be without their starting quarterback for quite some time.

Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Monday that Mayfield's dislocated thumb will set him back for a minimum of three weeks despite him not having any ligament damage. With Mayfield out of the picture for some time, the Buccaneers will have to turn to undrafted free agent quarterback Jalon Daniels to fill in for him while he's gone.

Or will they? Daniels being a backup to Mayfield looks a lot different depending on the situation.

Should the Buccaneers Consider Signing Another Quarterback?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht talks to media after training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Head coach Todd Bowles told media on Monday that while the team may explore adding another quarterback on the practice squad, the team is going with Daniels as their starting quarterback until Mayfield returns.

"We'll go with Jalon, and we'll go play, and we'll see what's out there that we can bring in to help out on the practice squad or help out on the team," Bowles said.

Whether or not that is a good idea will remain to be seen. The team believes in Daniels and the effort he's shown this offseason to make the 53-man roster, but playing backup quarterback to Mayfield later in the year or when the team is successful is a different scenario from coming in when the team desperately needs a win.

The Bucs are 0-3 and need a win soon to keep their season alive. Daniels has a lot of upside, but the Bucs are currently set to trust him as a UDFA rookie to right a ship as soon as possible. The Bucs may need a win sooner or later if Bowles and maybe even the front office wish to keep their jobs, and that's a daunting prospect for a rookie.

If the Bucs want to win football games fast, Daniels may not be the answer. So what else could they do?

Who Else Could the Bucs Play at QB?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jake Browning (5) looks on against the Kansas City Chiefs | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buccaneers have a few options for some veteran quarterbacks if they either don't want to play Daniels or he struggles over his first few games.

The Bucs already have a veteran quarterback on the practice squad in Easton Stick. Stick has started four games in the NFL and hasn't won any of them, throwing for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns and one interception (a pick-six against the Las Vegas Raiders). He's an in-house option who worked with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in Atlanta.

Another option is QB Jake Browning. The Bucs cut Browning in favor of Daniels to be QB2 this offseason, and although the team clearly likes Daniels more, he could be a good quarterback to bolster the room and he already has chemistry with a lot of players on the team. Browning has started 10 games and gone 4-6 in those games, throwing for 2,707 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

For now, though, the Bucs are rolling with Daniels. And he's set to make his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

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