Bucs QB Baker Mayfield likely to get green light vs. Cardinals

Baker Mayfield has not missed a start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his 45-game streak appears to be safe after he completed practice Friday.

Mayfield's sprained left shoulder was problematic, drawing doubt about his status for Tampa Bay's game against the visiting Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He is listed as questionable on the injury report.

But after seeing how his QB1 looked in practice, Head coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield is in the mix to start against the Cardinals.

Teddy Bridgewater will start if Mayfield isn't able to go.

"It's pain tolerance and management at that point," Mayfield said earlier this week for what he called a double-edged sword decision. "(We will) see how it goes through the week and go from there. I understand that we have Teddy. I have been in this spot before, hurting the non-throwing shoulder.

"If it's going to hinder how I play, then I probably won't go, but I won't know that until later in the week getting practice reps and see how that goes."

There seems to be more clarity heading into the weekend.

Mayfield injured the shoulder a couple of times during last week's 34-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The most painful time came as he heaved the ball on a Hail Mary pass to end the first half.

Bridgewater played the second half with Mayfield unable to continue.

"On the Hail Mary ... it felt like my shoulder was unstable, which MRIs and all that revealed that it's stable and everything is intact, so that's really good news," Mayfield said. "It's really about feeling good enough to be able to rip the ball and feeling confident in it to finish through throws and stay on top of the ball."

If Mayfield can't play, Bridgewater will start for the first time since Week 17 of the 2022 season with the Miami Dolphins. Against the Rams, he completed 8 of 15 passes for 62 yards.

"We all have confidence in Teddy," Bowles said. "We know what he can do and we know what kind of confidence level he brings, too. It's a different kind of energy, but yet energy that we all feed off of and expect."

The Buccaneers (6-5) have lost three straight games and four of the past five. They stand a half-game ahead of the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South.

Arizona (3-8) has lost three in a row and eight of the past nine. The Cardinals fell 27-24 in overtime to the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett will be making his seventh consecutive start. He has thrown for 769 yards on 80-for-106 passing (75.5%) over the past two games.

Cardinals star tight end Trey McBride is tied for second in the NFL with 80 receptions, one behind leader Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers.

McBride has caught five or more passes in 13 straight games, tying the club record set by Larry Fitzgerald.

"I want him to touch the ball more than five times every game regardless of the streak," Arizona offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said. "I'd like for him to touch it 10 times or 15 times because he is as talented as he is and plays the game the way he does and has such a big impact for us."

Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendicitis) returned to the field on a limited basis. He missed the past two games and is considered questionable for Sunday.

"It was good to see him running," Brissett said of Harrison. "He went through something very traumatic. To have him back out there was really good and I'm excited to see how this week unfolds for him."

The Cardinals ruled out defensive end Walter Nolen III (knee) on Wednesday. Running backs Emari Demercado (ankle) and Trey Benson (knee), right guard Will Hernandez (hip/knee) and safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ankle) also will be sidelined. Right tackle Kelvin Beachum (groin), running back Bam Knight (knee) and cornerback Max Melton (heel) join Harrison as questionable.

Tampa Bay will be without cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and safety Rashad Wisdom (quadricep) on Sunday. In addition to Mayfield, running back Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot), guard Ben Bredeson (hamstring), cornerback Jamel Dean (hip) and linebackers Anthony Nelson (ribs) and Haason Reddick (ankle/knee) are questionable.

The Buccaneers won the last two meetings, both by three points.

--Field Level Media