Bucs' Baker Mayfield: Low Expectations Offer 'Different Type of Motivation' in 2023

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have low expectations this season following Tom Brady's retirement, and new quarterback Baker Mayfield is using that as motivation to keep the standards high.

"That's fortunate for us, because that makes our guys have a different type of motivation they might have not had recently," Mayfield said, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "It puts them into a different level of competition and trying to prove that our locker room is more than capable of keeping that success."

With Brady under center, the Buccaneers reached the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, including a Super Bowl victory during the 2020 campaign.

Had Brady returned for the 2023 season, the expectations would have naturally remained high.

With Mayfield now under center in an NFC South that is expected to be more difficult with the additions of Derek Carr to the New Orleans Saints and rookie Bryce Young to the Carolina Panthers, the expectations have fallen mightily.

The Buccaneers will face their first test of the season in Sunday's season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.