NFC South QB power rankings: Where does Baker Mayfield fit?

Tom Brady

If this was a horse race, it would be a one-way street. An odds-on winner in Tom Brady and the likes of Baker Mayfield and Jameis Winston following way behind.

It looked for a short time as if 2021 was the final time we’d see Brady on an NFL field. His retirement announcement gave everyone within the NFC South and across the league hope, but the future Pro Football Hall of Famer soon realized that the decision was hasty and promptly came back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for one final go-around.

Brady was certainly playing well enough last season to suggest there is still something left in the tank. The Bucs also managed to keep all their primary playmakers around in pursuit of another bold bid for the Super Bowl.

There is a change in head coach after Bruce Arians stepped down. However, Brady will have the benefit of offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich once again after the offensive coordinator failed to get a head coaching position of his own elsewhere.

Brady remains the benchmark within the division. Everyone is seemingly playing for second place behind Tampa Bay and the Panthers are hoping that Mayfield provides the spark that helps them achieve this ambitious goal.