Baker Mayfield Sits Practice, Daniels in Line vs Steelers

Baker Mayfield is still not back on the practice field. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback did not practice Wednesday as he works back from a dislocated right thumb, leaving undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels in line for a third straight start when Pittsburgh visits Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.

For a 1-4 team, that is a gut punch. Tampa Bay needs wins now, and the Steelers arrive at 3-2 with Aaron Rodgers throwing for 1,234 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Bowles: "Everything right now is speculation"

Mayfield dislocated the thumb against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 and has missed the last two games. The Bucs kept him off injured reserve because the injury carried a minimum three-week timeline, and the plan Wednesday was a throwing session in the afternoon to see how the hand responds.

"He's getting better," coach Todd Bowles said. "We'll see how much he throws, and see how he looks." Bowles was not ready to talk about an early return. "I don't know where he's at," he said. "Everything right now is speculation."

The key hurdle is grip. The stitches are reportedly out, but Mayfield still has to show he can hold and drive the football with real strength. Bowles also shut down the idea of using him as a fallback option. "If he's not 100 percent, he doesn't need to play," he said.

What Daniels has shown

Daniels has started the last two games, completing 69.1 percent of his passes for 337 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, plus 87 rushing yards. The legs give Tampa Bay something extra, but the turnovers are the worry against a Pittsburgh defense that already has four interceptions and 11 sacks.

Mayfield, before the injury, had completed 63.5 percent for 615 yards with two touchdowns, two picks and a rushing score. That is not the Mayfield of his best Tampa years, but his command of the offense is a different gear from a rookie learning on the fly.

Fantasy managers should plan for Daniels again this week and treat any Mayfield news as a bonus.

Sunday stakes in Tampa

The Bucs host the Steelers on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 1 p.m. ET, with the Carolina Panthers up next after that. Thursday and Friday practice will show whether the throwing session moved the needle at all. Bucs fans want their quarterback back, but the message from Bowles is simple: no thumb, no Baker. Until Mayfield can grip it and rip it in practice, this is Daniels' offense, and Tampa Bay's season is riding on whether the rookie can protect the ball against Pittsburgh.