Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to miss more time than the team first outlined after dislocating his right thumb in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Coach Todd Bowles has said the minimum absence is three weeks. League sources, however, describe a wider range that could stretch well beyond that mark if Mayfield cannot grip a football cleanly.
“Sources told ESPN that Mayfield is dealing with a dislocated thumb that is expected to sideline the star quarterback anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on how quickly he is able to grip the football,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported.
The organization remains hopeful the recovery lands nearer the short end of that window. Privately, though, there is concern the layoff could reach five or six games.
“For the time being, the Bucs are willing to gamble that Mayfield’s absence is closer to three games rather than the five to six games that they privately have worried about,” Schefter wrote.
An MRI performed Monday showed no additional damage to the thumb ligament or tendon beyond the dislocation itself. Bowles has said surgery is not expected.
Mayfield received stitches to close the wound. Those stitches are scheduled for removal early this week, an early step in testing how firmly he can hold the ball.
Tampa Bay did not place Mayfield on injured reserve Saturday. Sources say the club does not anticipate needing to do so even if he misses more than four weeks.
The Buccaneers opened the 2026 season 0-3. They rank last in the NFC South and have yet to record a win.
Through three games Mayfield completed 61 of 96 passes for 615 yards, a 63.5 percent rate, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His passer rating stands at 80.0.
He has been sacked 13 times and has lost three fumbles. The turnovers and pressure have contributed to the slow start even as the offense has averaged just over 20 points per game.
Mayfield signed a three-year, $165 million extension days before the season, a deal that averages $55 million annually and runs through 2029. The structure keeps him as the projected starter into 2027, though later years carry less immediate security.
Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels will start in his place Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Daniels, out of Kansas, becomes the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start a game in Buccaneers history.
Mayfield is already ruled out for the Packers matchup. The earliest realistic return under the three-week floor would be the Week 7 trip to Carolina, though the grip timeline could push that date later.
