Report: Baker Mayfield to play through rib injury against Panthers

Baker Mayfield will play Sunday at the Carolina Panthers with the NFC South on the line, despite a rib injury.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Mayfield will wear a protective vest to make sure he’s good to go. The Bucs get into the playoffs and will host an NFC Wild Card game with a win.

Fowler had more Saturday morning on ESPN regarding Mayfield’s status, plus the incentive to win.

“Baker Mayfield had the rib issue,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “They’ve taken it easy on him all week but he will play per head coach Todd Bowles. I’m told the Bayfield will wear a protective vest that some quarterbacks wear … He’s still good to go. Mayfield with not only playoffs on the line, but if he gets in there he gets a $2 million bonus … So we’ll see how that goes.”

Tampa Bay gets the NFC South a win outright or the Bucs can tie while New Orleans loses or ties.

If the Bucs lose, they will not make the playoffs. However, the Bucs can become a Wild Card team in the event they tie and the Seattle Seahawks lose and the Green Bay Packers lose or tie.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported prior to Christmas that the Bucs and Mayfield have mutual interest in a partnership in 2024.

“And all that has led to this: Sources say there is mutual interest for Mayfield and the Bucs to run it back in 2024,” Rapoport wrote. “The former Browns, Panthers and Rams quarterback might have found a stable home.

“There are potential issues to work through, however, with Mayfield set to enter free agency having renewed leverage. But based on what the team has meant to him, and what the QB means to them, both parties want to do it again next year.”

This year, Mayfield has 3,907 yards, 28 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 64.4% completion percentage. In his career, Mayfield had 20,195 yards, 130 touchdowns, 74 interceptions and a 61.9% completion percentage.

The former Heisman Trophy winner out of Oklahoma was the No. 1 overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2018.

In three years at Oklahoma, following one season at Texas Tech, Mayfield had 12,292 yards, 119 touchdowns, 21 interceptions and a 69.8% completion percentage. He added 893 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground.

As a member of the Class of 2013, Mayfield was a three-star recruit out of Austin (Texas), Lake Travis according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 151 overall prospect in the state, the No. 65 quarterback in the class and the No. 1,043 overall prospect in the class.