When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Cleveland Browns at home on Sunday, quarterback Baker Mayfield must make sure his emotions don't get the best of him.

Mayfield will be looking for revenge against the team that drafted him first overall in 2018, only to toss him aside like trash as the Browns attempted to trade for Deshaun Watson. For months, Mayfield was left to twist in the wind, even after Cleveland finally completed what has since become possibly the worst trade in NFL history.

The Browns refused to part ways with Mayfield for months after acquiring Watson as they waited for the league to announce Watson's punishment after being accused of sexual assault by about two dozen women.

Finally, Cleveland sent Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers to end the humiliating ordeal, but the damage was done. Mayfield was demoted to the scout team before being cut and signing with the Los Angeles Rams.

It seemed like Mayfield's time in the NFL, at least as a starting QB, was coming to an end, until Tampa allowed him to get his career on track.

Mayfield rewarded the Bucs by reaching his first two Pro Bowls in his first two seasons in Tampa, including a career year in 2024 when he threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and completed 71.4% of his passes. Before the start of this season, Tampa and Mayfield agreed to a three-year, $165 million extension, making him one of the NFL's highest-paid QBs.

Meanwhile, Watson has possibly been the worst quarterback in the league since joining the Browns, and that's only talking about the rare times he has been on the field. Week 1 was only the 20th game Watson has played for Cleveland since the trade over four years ago.

This Sunday will see Mayfield and Watson play against each other for the first time since the trade. Mayfield has taken the high road when asked about playing the Browns, but everyone knows he has had this game circled on his calendar since the schedule was released.

Everybody knows the Browns made a huge mistake choosing Watson over Mayfield. That includes the Bucs' senior offensive assistant/pass-game specialist, Ken Zampese, who was Mayfield's QB coach during his rookie year in Cleveland.

Zampese told ESPN that Cleveland had finally drafted a QB who could turn things around for the Browns and "mucked it up."

"The year we were there, we were one of the best offenses in the NFL the second half of that season, 5-3, in a place that was -- before that season started -- 1-31," Zampese said of Mayfield. "The script got flipped and the city came alive because they finally drafted a quarterback that worked out for them and they mucked it up. They mucked it up."

Ya think?

While this game undoubtedly has extra meaning for Mayfield, it is also one the Bucs can't afford to lose.

After dropping their opener to the Bengals, losing to the Browns at home as heavy favorites could be devastating for the Bucs.

Mayfield needs to play calm against Cleveland, no matter what emotions he is feeling.

If he does, he will surely prove to the Browns that they made a horrible mistake, while also leading the Bucs to a much-needed victory.