Buccaneers Quarterback Baker Mayfield Out Minimum Three Weeks With Thumb Injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield for at least three weeks after he dislocated his right thumb during the team's loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed the injury update on Monday.

Mayfield sustained the injury while rolling to his right and attempting a throw. His hand landed on Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman, leading to an interception and Mayfield falling to the ground in apparent pain. An MRI performed on the injury revealed no ligament damage or fractures.

Mayfield, who signed a contract extension worth $165 million over three years before the season, had not missed a game prior to joining the Buccaneers. His previous stints in the NFL included time with the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Cleveland Browns.

The Buccaneers' 0-3 start to the season is their worst since 2014. With Mayfield sidelined, undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels is expected to step in as the starting quarterback. Daniels completed 0 of 3 passes and threw an interception in relief of Mayfield during Sunday's game.

Bowles expressed confidence in Daniels, describing him as "very bright" and noting his performance in the preseason. "He's not going to be out there by himself. There'll be 22 other guys out there helping him out. So, you know, we just expect him to do his job and play at a high level as he expects from himself," Bowles said of the rookie.

Daniels played collegiately at Kansas, where he passed for 2,531 yards and 22 touchdowns, while also rushing for 404 yards and four touchdowns in his last year with the Jayhawks.