17 May 2023 , 21:10
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Baker Mayfield has an almighty task on his hands as he fills in for Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and former star Rob Gronkowski has given his thoughts on what the quarterback needs to do next season.
The Brady era is finally over, and the NFL will be a strange place without him next season. The league has been blessed with Brady for over two decades, and the seven-time Super Bowl winner managed to bring the famous Lombardi Trophy to the Buccaneers for only the second time in franchise history back in 2021.
But now Mayfield and Kyle Trask will battle for the Bucs starting role, although Brady's former teammate Gronkowski is sure that the first overall pick from the 2018 NFL Draft will be given the opportunity. And he's given his thoughts on Mayfield at the Bucs, while offering some advice.
Mayfield has moved to his third team inside two years, joining the Bucs who are looking to transition after Brady retired. Their ticket prices have halved for the 2023 due to Brady no longer being out on the field, but expectation remains in the NFC South.
They still managed to top the division last season despite ending the regular campaign with a losing record, but even without Brady the Bucs will want to top the NFC South under Todd Bowles. Trask and Mayfield will be tussling in training this summer to land the starting role, but Gronkowski has offered some advice to the man he believes will come out on top.
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"I think Baker will win the quarterback position I think he will be the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers going into the season," Gronkowski said on the Up and Adams Show. "The only way I can see the Bucs pulling him is if he absolutely plays horrendous, which I don't think he will.
"I think the Bucs are going to put him in a position to succeed, but there will be competition between him and Kyle during the training camp which they want. They need that competition to bring the best out of them.
"He knew he wasn't going to play behind Tom so sometimes you can relax when you know you're going to be in that position. But this is the time to compete for a starting job for the both of them, although I think Baker will win that.
"He's got great team-mates around him. Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and they got a great defence around them so I would just say Baker needs to be the Baker he was when he was with the Rams.
"He just doesn't need to be a hero. Protect the ball, don't turn it over and he will succeed. Then, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be going to the Play-Offs."