Bucs' Baker Mayfield ranks in the top half of QB rankings ahead of 26
· Yahoo Sports
Baker Mayfield enters one of the most important seasons of his career with plenty to prove, but Sports Illustrated still considers him one of the better starting quarterbacks in the NFL.
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In his quarterback rankings entering the 2026 season, Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame placed Mayfield 15th overall, putting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller squarely in the top half of the league.
Verderame pointed to the dramatic contrast between Mayfield's first and second halves of the 2025 campaign. Tampa Bay opened the year 5-1, with Mayfield throwing 12 touchdown passes against just one interception as the Buccaneers looked like legitimate NFC contenders. From that point on, however, the offense struggled to maintain the same level of consistency. Tampa Bay finished 3-8 over its final 11 games, while Mayfield threw 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and topped 300 passing yards only once during that stretch.
The timing makes 2026 especially significant. Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract, and the Buccaneers have yet to reach an extension with their starting quarterback. He'll also be leading an offense adjusting to life without Mike Evans after the franchise icon departed in free agency.
Despite those questions, Tampa Bay still believes it has the pieces to field an explosive offense. Emeka Egbuka is expected to take on a much larger role after flashing star potential as a rookie, Chris Godwin returns as one of Mayfield's most reliable targets, and a healthier Bucky Irving could help bring more balance to the offense.
Mayfield's ranking suggests he remains viewed as a capable starting quarterback, but it's clear that 2026 will go a long way toward determining his future in Tampa Bay. A return to the form he showed during the first six weeks of last season would strengthen his case for a new contract and could help push the Buccaneers back into playoff contention.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs' Baker Mayfield ranks in the top half of QB rankings ahead of 26