Inside The Vikings

Buccaneers Officially Name Starting QB for Week 1 vs. Vikings

Baker Mayfield, as expected, will get the start for Tampa Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 10th.
Will Ragatz|
Buccaneers Officially Name Starting QB for Week 1 vs. Vikings
Buccaneers Officially Name Starting QB for Week 1 vs. Vikings

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Minnesota Vikings

Baker Mayfield will start at quarterback for the Buccaneers when they come to U.S. Bank Stadium to play the Vikings in Week 1, Tampa Bay announced on Tuesday. 

This was the expected outcome of the Bucs' QB competition. Mayfield, who signed a one-year deal this offseason, beat out Kyle Trask to replace the retired Tom Brady as QB1 for Todd Bowles' team. 

The No. 1 overall pick in 2018, Mayfield spent four years with the Browns but didn't live up to the hopes that he'd become their long-term franchise quarterback. He went 30-31 as a starter in Cleveland (including a 1-1 playoff record), completing less than 62 percent of his passes with a rating of 87.8.

Mayfield signed with the Panthers last season and was their Week 1 starter, but he struggled mightily and got hurt in Week 5. He was released in December after going 1-5 as the Panthers' starter. Mayfield was claimed off waivers by the Rams and made four starts down the stretch for Los Angeles.

Now the former Heisman Trophy winner will make his third consecutive Week 1 start for a different team.

Despite Tampa's talented roster on defense and at the skill positions, Mayfield being their starting quarterback is the main reason why their Vegas win total is just 6.5. They're currently 6.5-point underdogs against the Vikings on September 10th.

Here's a highly-subjective ranking of all the quarterbacks the Vikings are projected to face during the 2023 season:

  1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (Week 5)
  2. Joe Burrow, Bengals (Week 15)
  3. Jalen Hurts, Eagles (Week 2)
  4. Justin Herbert, Chargers (Week 3)
  5. Jared Goff, Lions (Weeks 16, 18)
  6. Derek Carr, Saints (Week 10)
  7. Justin Fields, Bears (Weeks 6, 12)
  8. Russell Wilson, Broncos (Week 11)
  9. Brock Purdy, 49ers (Week 7)
  10. Jimmy Garoppolo, Raiders (Week 14)
  11. Jordan Love, Packers (Weeks 8, 17)
  12. Desmond Ridder, Falcons (Week 9)
  13. Bryce Young, Panthers (Week 4)
  14. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers (Week 1)

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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