SAMUEL SAYS BUCCANEERS SHOULD START DANIELS OVER MAYFIELD

Asante Samuel said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face a decision over their starting quarterback after the team defeated the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday. Speaking on the Say What Needs To Be Said podcast, Samuel said Todd Bowles faces a difficult call to keep his job and argued that Baker Mayfield should not start again while rookie Jalon Daniels remains fit to play. Daniels started in place of Mayfield and completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown. Samuel credited the Buccaneers' defence for securing the team's first win of the season against an opponent he described as having one of the NFL's top offences. He said Bowles and the Buccaneers' general manager should treat Mayfield's contract as dead money to protect the team's season.

Mayfield agreed a three-year, $165 million contract with the Buccaneers shortly before the start of the season. Samuel said that, before the new deal, a case could be made for Mayfield deserving the contract, noting he had been asked to quarterback a team that had previously included Tom Brady. Mayfield led the Buccaneers to back-to-back NFC South titles, according to Samuel, but has had what Samuel called a statistically poor 2025 season and missed time during it. Samuel said Mayfield understood how his form had been assessed and moved to secure a contract before further games were played.

Samuel said the Buccaneers had been expected to let Mayfield play out the season and potentially use the franchise tag on him rather than extend him early. He said the win over the Cowboys, achieved without Mayfield on the field, strengthens the argument for Daniels to continue starting. No statement from the Buccaneers' coaching staff or front office on the starting quarterback decision was included in the reporting.