The phrase ‘speed demon’ is usually reserved to describe sprinters like Tyreek Hill or De’Von Achane on the football field. Yet, the term can be used to depict how fast a player is in other facets of the game.
In the case of Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting QB Baker Mayfield, advanced analytics suggest he was the gold standard in the league for one speed-based throwing metric in 2024.
Baker Mayfield Led the NFL in TD Passes When His Time to Throw was Under 2.5 Seconds
Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently did a deep dive into an advanced stat called ‘time to throw’ that painted a great picture of Bucs QB Baker Mayfield when he gets the ball out of his hands quickly.
Cameron wrote, “Baker Mayfield’s transition in Tampa Bay is a prime example, as his time to throw has decreased over the past two seasons compared to his previous three, resulting in increased production. This past season, Mayfield recorded 335 attempts in under 2.5 seconds — more than in any season he played outside of Tampa. He posted an 85.8% adjusted completion percentage and 29 touchdowns on such plays in 2024, both of which led the NFL.”
This development from Mayfield during his time in Tampa Bay led to the Oklahoma product throwing for a career-best 4,500 yards and 41 touchdown passes in 2024.
It is also worth mentioning that Mayfield produced these league-best marks without Chris Godwin for over half of the season and without Mike Evans for a whole month.
At one point in the middle of the season, Cade Otton looked like the top passing catching option on the Bucs with Jalen McMillan still figuring things out as a rookie and Sterling Shepard trying to rekindle his college chemistry with Mayfield on the professional field towards the end of his career.
Could Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ Offense Be Even Better in 2025?
The Bucs’ offense was nothing short of outstanding in 2025.
Don’t believe me? Just take a look at their rankings.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024 Offensive Rankings
- Scoring Offense: 4th
- Total Offense: 3rd
- Passing Offense: 4th
- Rushing Offense: 5th
The factors behind this offensive explosion can be attributed to multiple factors.
Liam Coen turned out to be a great offensive play-caller, Bucky Irving and Graham Barton were both outstanding as rookies, and Jalen McMillan really stepped up at the end of the season.
Unfortunately, the Bucs lost Coen this offseason but reports about Josh Grizzard all paint an optimistic picture about him stepping into the offensive coordinator role.
The real reasons to believe Mayfield can be even better in 2025 are the fact the Bucs retained their entire starting lineup and added a dynamic rookie receiver in Emeka Egbuka to join the offense for this year.
Think about it, Mayfield managed to put the best numbers of his career without Godwin for over half of the year and barely got Evans to 1,000 yards receiving last season because of his time missed due to a hamstring injury. If either of the veteran WRs deal with injuries again in 2025, the Bucs will be far more prepared to handle their absence this season.
Mayfield looked better than ever in 2024, but many said the same thing about his play after the 2023 NFL season.
If Mayfield continues to get better, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a real shot at making some noise in the NFC playoffs in 2025.
