Baker Mayfield Likely to Start Versus Steelers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will start Baker Mayfield against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, according to a report by JC Allen of Pewter Report.

Mayfield will start against the Steelers and is currently embroiled in a heated quarterback competition with Kyle Trask in Tampa Bay. The quarterbacks have gone back and forth with first-team reps over the first two weeks of training camp and the winner will be named after the preseason games. Trask will start the team’s second game against the New York Jets, but Mayfield has the keys to Kingdom first. Mayfield reportedly has thrown seven interceptions in nine practices with the Buccaneers.

Mayfield, the Browns’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has been the team’s starting quarterback for the last four seasons. In his career, he has throw for 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns and 56 interceptions for an 87.8 passer rating. He was injured in 2021, and had his worst season as a professional in 2021, prompting Cleveland to attempt to replace him this offseason with the Deshaun Watson trade. Mayfield did not find much more success with the Carolina Panthers or the Los Angeles Rams as he floated around the NFL.

For the Steelers, it seems obvious that Kenny Pickett will start against Mayfield. The two will have dueling situations, as Pickett is a guy who is on the ascent while Mayfield seems to be on the decline after being on the ascent not long ago. It will be up to Mike Tomlin how much he wants to play Pickett in the preseason, but since he is young, it seems likely that he will play often.