Baker Mayfield walked off the field that night knowing he had left everything out there. Playing in just his second year for the Buccaneers, he had come up with the best performance of his career. He had thrown for over 4,500 yards in the regular season and hit an impressive QB rating of 106.8. Not only had he revived his career in Tampa Bay, but also put the Buccaneers in a position to make a real run.

In the wild-card round, however, it all unraveled. The offensive line crumbled, the pressure was relentless, and despite Mayfield’s best efforts, the season came to an abrupt end against the Commanders (who were on fire). Now, the Bucs are on a mission. They know their QB can deliver, but they need to give him the right weapons and protection. And if Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft is anything to go by, Tampa Bay might be looking to add some serious firepower on offense—starting with Arizona Wildcats standout WR Tetairoa McMillan.

The NFL analyst just came out with the mock draft 2.0 that threw some surprises. For the Bucs, he chose McMillan. The team will choose 19th in the 2025 NFL Draft. And the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year (2024) would give them a much-needed boost.

His performance in 3 years of college football has been phenomenal. In 2022, his freshman year, he recorded 39 receptions for 702 receiving yards with 8 TDs. 2 years later, in 2024, he played most games for the Wildcats, recording 84 receptions for 1,319 receiving yards with 8 TDs. He is super explosive, which the entire NCAA circuit saw last September.

On September 1, 2024, New Mexico Lobos made a solid plan against the receiver. But he evaded all of them smoothly, with 304 receiving yards, a college record, with 4 TDs. However, in all of these, Baker Mayfield has a crucial role. As a quarterback, he would be responsible for making the passes that could end in touchdowns.

This year, their offensive line has to adjust according to the new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. The Bucs had convinced Liam Coen to remain the offensive coordinator. But he ditched the franchise and became the Jaguars head coach. It has made the free agency and the draft extremely crucial for them. The biggest issue is retaining their current O-line players.

Bucs might keep Baker Mayfield O-line teammate at the franchise

The 84th pick of the 2017 Draft, Chris Godwin, has been their golden boy. He played alongside Tom Brady when they won Super Bowl LV in 2020. 5 years later, they had a tough decision to make. Keep him or let him go. His 3-year $60 million contract was set to expire on February 17. It would have triggered dead money of $18 million. But both sides worked it out.

Baker Mayfield’s O-line teammate and GM Jason Licht agreed to a change in his contract that will keep him at the franchise till March 12. The free agency opens the same day. So, the Bucs will have much-needed time to reconsider their choices. They also wouldn’t want him to leave them. It would only cause problems in an offensive line that’s looking to improve.

This year didn’t go as per his expectations. In the week 7 game, he injured his left ankle, forcing him to undergo surgery. In those 7 games in 2024, he recorded 50 receptions for 576 receiving yards and 5 TDs. While they somehow qualified for the playoffs, they definitely missed him in the wild card. Had he been there, things might have been different. Let’s see if they get to test that theory in 2025.