Baker Mayfield Returns to Full Practice for a Bucs Team That Desperately Needs Him

Baker Mayfield is officially a full participant in practice again, which sounds like great news until you remember he plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Getting your starting quarterback back is usually a reason to celebrate, but right now, it feels like putting premium gas in a car with three missing tires.

Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that Mayfield is taking full reps, signaling the end of his stint on the sidelines. The veteran signal-caller dislocated his right thumb back in Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings, an injury that originally came with a three-to-six-week recovery window based on how fast he could grip a football.

"Adam Schefter reported: 'Buccaneers listed QB Baker Mayfield as a full participant in today’s practice.'"

Apparently, the grip strength is back. That is a massive relief for a Tampa Bay squad that has looked completely lost without him.

Before his thumb decided to point the wrong direction, Mayfield had thrown for 615 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Those are not exactly MVP numbers, but they look like pure magic compared to the current state of the offense.

For context, the Buccaneers are currently sitting at a miserable 1-5 on the season. They just dropped a 26-19 game to the Pittsburgh Steelers this past weekend, proving that rookie Jalon Daniels simply cannot keep this sinking ship afloat on his own.

From a betting perspective, a starting quarterback returning to full practice is the kind of news that immediately forces sportsbooks to scramble. The market knows a healthy Mayfield is worth a few points to the spread over a backup, even if the roster around him is currently held together by duct tape and hope.

Mayfield taking full reps on a Wednesday means he is fully on track to start this weekend. We will find out very soon if having their QB1 back can actually spark a midseason turnaround, or if the Buccaneers are just going to have a slightly more competent guy throwing the ball while they march toward a top draft pick.