Things are much different for Baker Mayfield entering 2024 than they were at this time in 2023, with the quarterback receiving a three-year deal after leading Tampa Bay to a division title and a playoff victory.
But Mayfield’s position coach, Thad Lewis, said in a Monday press conference that Mayfield’s overall attitude and demeanor have not changed.
“It’s different because we know who the quarterback is, that’s first,” Lewis said. Secondly, he has a contract so the guys know it’s his team — he knows it’s his team. He’s confident and comfortable because he’s been in this scheme before, before he came here, and it has some similarities. So, he’s not thinking.
“I think the chip on his shoulder can not completely fall off, but … he can be at ease a little bit. And I think that’ll never go away because of how was brought up and I think that’s his motivating factor. But, at the same time, he’s confident, comfortable. You can tell he’s getting guys in order. They’re communicating. He’s demanding it from the guys and himself — so you can kind of see it’s not a learning curve right now. It’s more, let’s grow as a team and as a unit.”
Lewis noted that while Mayfield has more confidence, it’s not like he was holding back and playing conservatively before. That wouldn’t have worked well largely because he’s a quarterback, Lewis said.
“I think anybody with a chip or not, you’re playing the quarterback position, you have to go out there and let it rip,” Lewis said. “I think right now, he can see where things can go, what guys can do best, what he can demand out of certain guys, what he can demand out of himself. He can push the envelope in that aspect because he knows what’s going on. I think it gives us an added confidence that he can just go in and play … freely. Last year, his message was that we allowed him to be himself. He knows that we’re going to allow him to be himself — as long as it’s within the grand scheme of the offense, with him being himself, we can be a great unit, for sure.”
One aspect of Mayfield’s game that Lewis is continuing to harp on is the quarterback’s footwork.
"[D]oing the dance with the passes, giving the running backs the lane with the footwork, getting the ball deep — just little things like that to grow in this offense,” Lewis said. “So, he’s going to have that confidence in that aspect, you’re going to give him the keys to the car. But as long as he stays hungry and humble and just goes and continues to be the guy he is, the offense can continue to push and get better.
“He’s been working on that, so that’s a good sign for him and this unit going forward.”
