Baker Mayfield isn't playing like a $55 million quarterback with Buccaneers off to 0-2 start

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield is playing more like a quarterback trying to justify his contract.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to their first 0-2 start since 2014 after making Mayfield the highest-paid player in franchise history.

Mayfield received a $165 million, three-year extension earlier this month and seems to be trying to do too much, leading to mistakes.

Emeka Egbuka had a step on the defender and was open in the end zone for what would’ve been a go-ahead score in the final minute but Mayfield fired a pass out of his reach and the Buccaneers lost 23-19 to the Cleveland Bowns on Sunday.

“Obviously, just gotta trust that ‘Mek’ is going to come out of that break a little slower with conditions and give him some air to run under it,” Mayfield said.

He threw a fade to Ted Hurst earlier in the drive but the rookie couldn’t make the catch in a driving rain.

“Yeah, obviously, not an easy catch,” Mayfield said. “Ted is somebody that I trust, that’s not going to change anything for me going forward, but yeah, tough play. I don’t know, I didn’t get a real good look at it, but I know he had a chance at it. The ball is going to keep coming back to him, going to keep finding him. We just gotta be able to make the plays in the end.”