As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope to stay alive with Baker Mayfield injured, the quarterback is already nearing a huge milestone in his recovery.
There hasn't been much good news to report about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since this nightmare of a season began.
The Bucs are 0-3 and have looked like one of the NFL's worst teams despite being overwhelming favorites to win the NFC South and return to the playoffs after collapsing down the stretch last season.
Head coach Todd Bowles' seat has moved past "hot" and become "searing," and his days in Tampa appear numbered. With each passing loss, it looks less and less likely that he will make it to the end of the season before being replaced.
Not only have the Bucs dug themselves a hole that will be incredibly difficult to climb out of, but they also have to find a way to at least keep their season on life support without franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield, who dislocated his thumb late in last week's brutal loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Now Tampa is turning to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels with its season on the line. What can the team expect from the preseason darling who went from practice squad hopeful to QB2 in just a few weeks?
The early prognosis for Mayfield was that he would be forced to miss at least the next three weeks. For a team yet to enter the win column, Mayfield's injury looked like the final nail in the coffin of a lost season. Despite his early struggles, Mayfield's track record makes him the Bucs' best chance at turning things around. Relying on a backup, let alone an undrafted rookie, to get the team on track is far from ideal.
However, there may actually be some good news when it comes to Mayfield's injury.
According to NFL Tom Pelissero, Mayfield is scheduled to have the stitches removed from his injured thumb on Monday, a major step in his recovery.
The 2018 top overall pick is known for his toughness and ability to play through injuries. He is determined to return before his original three-week timeline, and having the stitches removed so quickly gives him a decent shot at doing so.
Could Mayfield Return For Week 5?
The news that Mayfield is having his stitches removed has raised questions about whether he will miss only one game.
Pelissero himself reported that it would be "tough, but not impossible" for Mayfield to return for Tampa's Week 5 game.
Mayfield being ready in time for Week 5 would be nothing short of miraculous, especially with Tampa facing a short week before going on the road to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football.
However, if anyone could return so quickly after an injury, it would be Mayfield, who played through several different ailments last season and hadn’t missed a game in his first three seasons with the Bucs.
Bowles did make it a point earlier in the week to say that the team would not place Mayfield on injured reserve, which would have forced the QB to miss a minimum of four games but freed up a roster spot for much-needed reinforcements.
Final Thoughts
Even with Mayfield’s history of playing at less than 100%, it still seems highly unlikely that he would be ready to play by Thursday. Coming back after a week and a half, after originally being expected to miss at least three weeks, would be remarkable.
After playing the Cowboys, the Bucs would have 10 days before taking the field again, giving Mayfield plenty of extra time to heal before seeing any game action.
A Week 6 return is the likeliest scenario, which would still mean only a two-game absence and an earlier-than-expected return for Mayfield, whom the Bucs not only desperately need, but also need to return to his Pro Bowl form if the team is to have any shot at salvaging the season.
