TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to miss at least three weeks with the dislocated thumb on his throwing hand he suffered Sunday, coach Todd Bowles announced Monday.
Mayfield's MRI showed no additional damage to his right thumb, sources told ESPN. Mayfield, however, still needs to be able to grip the ball, a source said, but he avoided damage to the ligament and tendon, and this is viewed as positive news.
"It's consistent with everything we thought it was -- a dislocation. Right now, we're talking about a minimum of three weeks," Bowles said, adding that the plan for now is to keep Mayfield on the 53-man roster and not place him on injured reserve, but that could change depending on the pace of his recovery.
Bowles said the injury should not require surgery.
Rookie Jalon Daniels, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kansas, will replace the injured Mayfield as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback. Bowles said the team will also look elsewhere for help.
"Either a veteran or a practice squad one in that span," Bowles said. "So, we'll go with Jalon and we'll go play and we'll see what's out there that we can bring on the practice squad or help out on the team."
At this time, Mayfield and Daniels are the only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, with Easton Stick occupying a spot on the practice squad. Stick did not participate in training camp with the Buccaneers but has seen action in six NFL games as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 and 2023 when he made four starts.
Mayfield's injury occurred with 1:54 remaining, when his pass was intercepted by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. The play happened on fourth-and-13, with Mayfield and the Bucs trying to come back from a 20-16 deficit. He was under duress for several seconds and evaded multiple defenders as he scurried to the right sideline. But as he threw the ball, he was hit by inside linebacker Blake Cashman.
Mayfield's 54 regular-season starts since joining the Buccaneers are tied for most in the league. He has never missed a start in Tampa Bay despite an injury-marred season last year that saw him on the injury report for 10 out of 17 weeks.
Daniels performed well enough this preseason to overtake veteran Jake Browning as the No. 2 quarterback. His ability to operate outside the pocket and off schedule was particularly notable and can serve him given the offensive line's struggles this season. On Sunday, the Buccaneers' offensive line surrendered six sacks to the Vikings.
"He's gonna be like every other rookie, but he's played well in the preseason, he's very bright. He's not gonna be out there by himself, they'll be 22 other guys out there helping him out," Bowles said. "We expect him to do his job and do it at a high level that he expects from himself."
Daniels would be the first Bucs rookie quarterback to start a game since former No. 1 draft pick Jameis Winston in 2015. He went 0-for-3 passing in four snaps played Sunday. In the preseason, where he saw extensive action, he completed 27 of 44 passes for 239 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
"When he goes out there -- his performance speaks for itself," Bowles said. "When he's out there, his confidence speaks for itself and they rally around him."
As for Mayfield, the 2026 season has gotten off to a particularly challenging start, culminating in the franchise's first 0-3 mark since 2014. He and the Bucs reached an agreement on a three-year, $165 million extension just five days before the Bucs' season opener. He has taken 13 sacks -- more than any other quarterback in the league -- and he has thrown two touchdowns with five lost turnovers, tied for third most in the league. His 35.3 QBR through the first three games is also 28th in the league.