TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield will miss at least three weeks with a dislocated right thumb, leaving undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels to start for the Buccaneers against Green Bay on Sunday.
Coach Todd Bowles announced the timeline Monday after Tampa Bay’s 23–16 loss at Minnesota dropped the team to 0–3. Mayfield injured his throwing hand late in the game, interrupting a run of 57 consecutive starts since joining the Buccaneers in 2023.
The injury occurred on a fourth-down pass that was intercepted by Andrew Van Ginkel. Mayfield’s hand struck linebacker Blake Cashman during the play. He finished 17 of 34 for 217 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
An MRI did not reveal additional damage, according to an ESPN report cited by Field Level Media. That was encouraging, but it did not change the minimum absence Bowles announced or establish an exact return date.
Daniels, 23, entered Sunday’s game and went 0 for 3 with an interception. He also ran once for nine yards. The former Kansas quarterback now moves from an emergency relief appearance to a full week of preparation as the expected starter.
That change carries significance beyond the injury itself. Tampa Bay has relied on Mayfield for every start since he arrived, and Sunday is set to be the club’s first start by another quarterback since Tom Brady’s final season in 2022.
The Buccaneers must also try to stop a three-game losing streak while changing the person running the offense. Green Bay enters the matchup 1–2, and the game gives Daniels his first opportunity to prepare specifically for a starting assignment at the NFL level.
Bowles’ timetable means this is more than a single-week adjustment. The Buccaneers need a plan that can function during Mayfield’s recovery, while monitoring the thumb before determining when he can resume playing.
For now, the next step is settled: Daniels will lead the preparation for Green Bay, and Mayfield’s return will depend on his recovery over the coming weeks.
