The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won the NFC South last season, looked poised to do so again in the early weeks of this season, but they have now lost three games in a row.
They have some major injury problems, as wide receiver Chris Godwin is out for the year after suffering an ankle injury and wideout Mike Evans is dealing with a hamstring injury.
They face a tough test in Week 10 when they host the San Francisco 49ers, a team that is 4-4 but is expected to welcome back star running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
In some good news for the Bucs, quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has been dealing with a toe injury, is now off the injury report and expected to play, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelssero.
#Bucs QB Baker Mayfield (toe) is off the injury report and good to go vs. the #49ers.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 8, 2024
Mayfield had a rocky first five years of his NFL career after he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, and many had given up on him and his mercurial ways.
But last season, he became his best self with the Bucs and led them to an upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
He was rewarded with a three-year contract extension that is worth up to $100 million, and through nine games this season, he has thrown for 2,389 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 71.4 percent of his pass attempts.
He’s fourth in the league in passing yards, third in passing touchdowns and fourth in pass completion percentage.
However, his team is 4-5 and two games behind the Atlanta Falcons for first place in the division, and with its forces depleted, it may have little chance of returning to the playoffs.
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