Former NFL safety and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark has declared Baker Mayfield as "a top 10 quarterback." Clark offered this strong endorsement while highlighting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' potential heading into the 2025 season.
On Tuesday's episode of ESPN's "Get Up," Clark said,
"Baker Mayfield is a top 10 quarterback in this league. ... Mayfield is a football player. And when I say that, I know people at home are going to be like, 'Duh, he gets paid to play football.' No, not all quarterbacks are seen as football players. Not all quarterbacks are embraced in the locker room as one of us."
Clark pointed to Mayfield's physicality and leadership, referencing a specific play last season where Mayfield ran over Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner on a scramble.
"You go back to Mayfield running over Wagner on a scramble last year, and the energy that his team received from that, that’s the sort of player that he is," Clark said.
Clark also stressed that many people underestimate the Buccaneers because they overlook recent history and progress. He reminded viewers that Tampa Bay won a playoff game two years ago and narrowly lost close contests after that.
Clark warned opponents not to take the Buccaneers lightly, saying, "This is a team you better be extremely scared of because they’re in their confidence."
Ryan Clark's recent praise of Baker Mayfield is interesting given his past criticism of the quarterback during Mayfield's tenure with the Cleveland Browns. Clark previously told Mayfield to "stop being petty" and was critical when the QB wrote what appeared to be a farewell letter in 2022 while still with the Browns.
Mayfield has improved a lot after joining the Bucs, and it's evident that Clark now appreciates the effort Mayfield has put into his development.