3 short-term QB options for the New England Patriots in 2024

2. Baker Mayfield, 2024 free agent

Baker Mayfield has quietly played pretty well this year. Through eight games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mayfield has completed a career-high 64.9% of his passes for 1,865 yards, 12 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 92.7.

Mayfield has really done well this year, and I'm happy for him after the Cleveland Browns kind of disposed of him a couple of years ago. Anyway, Mayfield seems to have settled into that bridge QB role, and he could hold that role for the New England Patriots in 2024. Mayfield's 3:1 TD:INT ratio is very good, and he's helping lead an offense score 20 points per game without much of a running game to speak of.

Mayfield isn't going to come into the organization and cement himself as the long-term starter, but his tenure with the Buccaneers so far has gone well, and he's playing his way into a solid low-end starter type of payday. The Pats would be wise to explore this possibility.