Buccaneers starting quarterback Baker Mayfield will take on his former team for just the second time in his career on Sunday. Browns head coach Todd Monken had nothing but praise for the former Brown, calling him a "highly intelligent" player.
After dropping their Week 1 matchup 33-27 to the Cincinnati Bengals this past Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are shifting focus to Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns are also sitting at 0-1 after being throttled 34-10 in the biggest loss of the weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But, the Bucs still need to expect a competitive game, as starting quarterback Deshaun Watson could be playing for his starting job.
On Wednesday, ahead of the matchup, Browns head coach Todd Monken talked about Tampa's starter, Baker Mayfield, giving him the upmost praise.
Monken called Mayfield both "highly intelligent" and "highly competitive," saying that he has a strong grasp of the gameplan and scheme heading into each matchup.
Mayfield's preparation has been a skill of his throughout his NFL career, dating back to his last-minute call up with the Los Angeles Rams.
His late-game heroics with the Rams of course gave Mayfield the opportunity to fight for a job with Tampa, and he is now the franchise's highest-paid player of all time.
Monken went on to say that Mayfield's ability to hold his teammates to a high standard is everything you are looking for in a player and a "human being."
Heading into the matchup, Mayfield's competitive spirit will be humming, as he faces off against the team that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Mayfield played out his rookie contract with the Browns before being shipped out upon Watson's arrival.
Heading into his "revenge game," ball security must be at a premium, as Mayfield surrendered three fumbles against the Bengals on Sunday.
Mayfield did a great job extending plays and scrambling for additional yardage, but perhaps did a little too much on the plays resulting in turnovers.
For a Bucs defense that looked solid against the Bengals' offensive weapons, limiting mistakes is the recipe to success against a less-talented Browns offense.
Mayfield is yet to take on his former team as a member of the Bucs, having played one game against the Browns as a Carolina Panther.
The Browns came away with a 26-24 victory in that matchup, forcing Mayfield into an interception and sacking him four times.
But, this Bucs' offensive line should be gearing up for a bounce-back performance, while Mayfield is looking to get his team in the win column for the 2026-2027 season.
The Bucs face off with Cleveland on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in their home opener.
