Baker Mayfield on Replacing Tom Brady: I'm Not Built Like Him. I ...

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Tom Brady's retirement is widely expected to bring some lean years to Tampa Bay, with the Buccaneers' current over/under win total set at 6.5 for the 2023 season by DraftKings Sportsbook.

The man likely set to replace Brady under center, Baker Mayfield, thinks he and his teammates have been underestimated.

"Everybody talks about Tom's gone. Yes, he is the greatest quarterback to ever play," Mayfield told Mike Jones of The Athletic. "But football is the greatest team sport in the world. And so it takes a lot more than just one person. And there's a lot of good pieces here. And, yeah, they were banged up last year. I think everybody's hungry and ready to go...

"I've always been myself. That's kind of why people either love or hate me. So I do it my own way. And I enjoy doing it. I have fun while I'm doing it. … I respect (Brady) completely, but I'm not going to ever try and be him. I'm not built like him. I don't play like him. So just, yeah, try to be the best version of myself."

Mayfield signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Bucs in March to compete with Kyle Trask for the starting job. While he has not been named the regular-season starter, Mayfield did earn QB1 status for Tampa's preseason opener.

Aside from Brady and running back Leonard Fournette, the Bucs do return a significant portion of their offense from last season. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin remain a stellar 1-2 punch at receiver, and Russell Gage is a quality third option. The running back depth chart should be fine as well, with Rachaad White set to take over the backfield in his second NFL season.

Playing in a weak NFC South, it's possible the Bucs wind up competing for a playoff spot.

Their biggest concern on offense is at the quarterback position, with Mayfield now playing for his fourth team since the beginning of the 2021 season. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick has struggled mightily over the last two seasons, posting 27 touchdowns against 21 interceptions while losing starting jobs in Cleveland and Carolina. His surprisingly strong run toward the end of last season with the Los Angeles Rams wound up being the biggest factor in Tampa giving him a chance.

But to say Mayfield is not Brady would be the understatement of the century.