Baker Mayfield returned to the field against the Carolina Panthers, but his presence in the lineup does not necessarily mean his injured thumb is fully healed. Between the special glove he needed to wear, reports of passes sailing during practice, and his limited workload Sunday, questions remain about how comfortable he is throwing the football. Mayfield dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand, an injury that forced him to miss three games. Returning to the lineup was an important step, but a quarterback relies on his thumb for grip, ball control, and the release that determines accuracy. Even if he can tolerate the pain, regaining his normal throwing mechanics can take additional time. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson acknowledged that some
of Mayfield’s passes were sailing during practice, a detail worth monitoring as Tampa Bay works to get its passing attack back on track.
His workload against Carolina also needs context. Mayfield attempted just 11 passes, limiting the evidence available to judge his throwing ability. Tampa Bay won 43-13 by leaning heavily on the run, finishing with 258 rushing yards on 45 carries. That approach let the Buccaneers control the game without forcing Mayfield to carry the offense through the air. The victory was encouraging, but the next test will be whether Mayfield can handle a larger passing workload against a defense that forces Tampa Bay to throw more often. The Buccaneers still need more consistency from their passing game, particularly after ranking near the bottom of the league in passing production earlier in the season. Mayfield’s return gives Tampa Bay its starting quarterback back; until he makes more throws and shows consistent accuracy, his thumb will remain an important storyline for the Buccaneers.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Just how healthy is Baker Mayfields' thumb?
