Latest news with #MattVerderame
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Baker Mayfield Graduates To 'Pro QB' In Backhanded Compliment to Buccaneers Star
Baker Mayfield Graduates To 'Pro QB' In Backhanded Compliment to Buccaneers Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is going to be a fascinating watch in 2025, with some waiting to see if he'll eventually revert back into the mistake-riddled quarterback he was earlier in his career, or if he'll continue his career resurgence. Advertisement After two good seasons that have seen Baker catapult himself into the top-10 conversation at quarterback, he is now at a point in his career where the expectations are perhaps the highest they've ever been - a Super Bowl run. The fact that this is now a well-known opinion for Baker means he's doing something right, and for Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame, he got an NFC evaluator to give his thoughts on Mayfield's growth. 'I think Mayfield is proof of the concept of coaching matters, systems matter, team build matters," the NFC evaluator said. "But more than anything, if you can process quickly and get the ball out on time from the pocket, you don't have to be 6-foot-5 to play in this league. He has become a professional quarterback as opposed to a college kid just running plays.' Nov 10, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) is pressured by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Leonard Floyd (56) in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium.© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images That could come across as a backhanded compliment .... but in the end, it is quite the endorsement for Baker, and in truth, it is more than warranted. Advertisement With another new coordinator in Josh Grizzard, who was the passing game coordinator under Liam Coen last year, Mayfield will again have a different voice in his ear, but he'll handle it. He has weapons that are the envy of the league, a running game seen as one of the best in football, and that offensive line, which is sneaky good too. Everything feels like it has come together at the right time. Baker, the professional quarterback? We like the sound of that. Related: Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield Placed on Impressive List Related: 'He's Still Got That Hunger!' Buccaneers' Yaya Diaby Praises Newcomer Haason Reddick This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns Slammed for Baker Mayfield Situation
Browns Slammed for Baker Mayfield Situation originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It feels like Baker Mayfield was a Cleveland Browns quarterback ages ago. In reality, it's been just three seasons. Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers for a fifth-round pick on July 6, 2022, almost four months after the Browns acquired Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson. Advertisement And the Cleveland Browns have never been the same since. Watson has played in just 19 total games since arriving in Cleveland, while Mayfield has very quietly become a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2023 season, when he posted a career season with 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and a 64.3 completion percentage. Mayfield bested that in 2024 with another career season, throwing for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, with a 71.4 completion percentage. He's also started all 34 games for the Bucs in two seasons. An unnamed NFC personnel evaluator spoke with Matt Verderame of SI and seemingly took a shot at the Browns for the handling of Mayfield. Advertisement "I think Mayfield is proof of the concept of coaching matters, systems matter, team build matters," that evaluator said. "But more than anything, if you can process quickly and get the ball out on time from the pocket, you don't have to be 6-foot-5 to play (quarterback) in this league. "He has become a professional quarterback as opposed to a college kid just running plays." What might be worse for the Browns is that after $230 million, all guaranteed, the Watson era might be over after he suffered two Achilles injuries in October and January. Or, maybe that's the best part of the Watson era for the Browns. Advertisement Related: 'He's Still Got That Hunger!' Buccaneers' Yaya Diaby Praises Newcomer Haason Reddick Related: Browns Could Have Surprise Breakout Wide Receiver On Their Hands This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys 'Jaded' Fans Wonder What's A 'Successful' Season In 2025?
Cowboys 'Jaded' Fans Wonder What's A 'Successful' Season In 2025? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. High expectations can sink a team quicker than just about anything, and for the Brian Schottenheimer-led Dallas Cowboys, high expectations aren't exactly new. Advertisement Granted, this will be a new-look team, with several new faces on both sides of the ball, coupled with an overhauled coaching staff. As a result, Dallas will look a little different in 2025. But the expectation will remain the same - to win the Super Bowl. Now, is that realistic? Even the most hardened Cowboys fan will struggle to say yes to that. Still, success can be defined in other ways, because if you base whether Schottenheimer and Dallas have a good season on whether they win the Super Bowl or not, you might need to adjust your expectations. But what about making the playoffs? Or better yet, winning a playoff game? Advertisement Matt Verderame, playoff success is step one for Schotty. "For Schottenheimer and the Cowboys, this can only be a successful season if it involves a trip to the postseason, and preferably one that includes advancement," Verderame writes. "Otherwise, it's more of the same for a fan base growing increasingly jaded and impatient." Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Davis-Imagn Images We're not sure any national writer can have the pulse of an entire "jaded'' fan base. Let's talk about the now ... Right now, given the state of the NFC and the division, if Dallas makes the playoffs, it would mean Schottenheimer and Co. have acquitted themselves well in the NFC East with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders. Advertisement Plus, it would see the Cowboys navigate a brutal stretch of games that includes the Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, and Commanders. We think Cowboys fans, for the moment, would take that. However, let's remember that Schotty will have more than a year to get this thing properly rolling. Nevertheless, there can be no 7-10 season; there has to be progression. Yes, a Super Bowl would be nice, but given where this team is, given the roster and the changes that have happened over the past six months, making the playoffs and sneaking a win would be a good return. Advertisement And for some, give Schotty a pass mark in Year 1. Related: Elam Following in Dad's Footsteps with Cowboys Related: Cowboys Coach Denies Caleb Williams Film Rumor This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
