“Head Coach Kevin O’Connell has announced QB Kyler Murray has cleared the concussion protocol and will start Sunday at Tampa Bay,” as confirmed by the Vikings on the team’s official X account.

Despite playing clean football and avoiding any turnovers in consecutive wins to start the 2026 NFL season, Wentz is coming out of the starting lineup to make way for Murray.

Though both will become UFAs after the season, it makes sense that Minnesota is still trusting its 29-year-old signal-caller, who may have an unexplored ceiling, over Wentz (33), who may provide a more stable floor but a lower ceiling. Nevertheless, the shakeup at QB prior to the Buccaneers‘ game sends waves across the league.

Vikings make QB change after low-scoring Week 2 win

Indeed, Wentz and the offense barely produced anything in the 9-3 win over the Bears in Week 2 and were mainly wheeled to victory by Brian Flores’ defense and kicker Will Reichard, along with Caleb Williams’ injury, whose latest update is even better than Chicago imagined.

Still, Wentz led a comeback win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 and looked better than Murray did, even though the latter left the season opener less than 10 minutes into the game. Thus, the Vikings’ decision to send Murray right under center came as a surprise to many.

It’s not completely out of the blue, but some expected Minnesota to be cautious as Murray returns from concussion protocol, especially as the Vikings will face a lackluster Buccaneers team, which Wentz and company may be able to take care of, giving Murray more time to recover. Even if he’s cleared the protocol, every extra day of rest could make a big difference.

Wentz and Murray’s stats in 2026

Through his two games played for the Vikings in 2026, Wentz completed 23 of 39 pass attempts (59%) for 276 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Wentz has been sacked six times while putting up a 106.4 passer rating.

As for Murray, his sample size is extremely small, but that doesn’t make it any less concerning. Murray has completed three of his five pass attempts (60%) for 18 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. His passer rating so far is 27.5.

The fact that Murray’s first pass in a Vikings uniform was picked off and he sustained a serious head injury on his third drive are all concerning factors that won’t magically disappear because the former first overall selection cleared the league’s concussion protocol.

Potential trap game for Murray

Although having Murray’s back against a disappointing defense in Tampa Bay might be viewed optimistically, it also means he will go head-to-head with 11 defenders holding on to pent-up frustration, and that’s one dangerous cocktail.

Key takeaways

• Kyler Murray cleared concussion protocol and will start Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Carson Wentz threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns across two games in relief.
• Minnesota achieved a 2-0 start for only the third time in ten seasons.

Watson has delivered a much better performance against Tampa Bay than he did during Cleveland’s disastrous Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The veteran quarterback has looked more comfortable in his second start since returning from his long absence, giving head coach Todd Monken another reason to continue with Watson at the position.

The Browns’ game was interrupted late in the fourth quarter when lightning forced a suspension at Raymond James Stadium. Cleveland was leading Tampa Bay 23-19 with 2:33 remaining, leaving the Browns just minutes away from potentially securing their first victory of the season.

Could Deshaun Watson’s performance change Shedeur Sanders’ future?

Watson’s performance is particularly important because Cleveland entered Week 2 with questions surrounding the quarterback position. After a 34-10 loss to Jacksonville, the Browns indicated that they would reevaluate the situation following the Buccaneers game, creating an opportunity for Sanders if Watson failed to show significant improvement.

Instead, Watson has given the Browns a much more encouraging performance. He entered the weather delay having completed 24 of 30 passes for 238 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, including a 55-yard touchdown connection with Denzel Boston and a late 17-yard touchdown pass to Ben Whiteheart.

A Browns victory would add another important piece to the quarterback debate. Sanders won plenty of attention during training camp and the preseason, but Watson won the starting job entering the regular season. If Watson can finish strong and lead Cleveland to a road victory, Monken could have a much stronger argument for keeping the veteran in place.

That does not mean Sanders’ opportunity is gone. The Browns are expected to continue evaluating their quarterback situation after Week 2, and another strong Watson performance could either stabilize the position or simply delay a decision. With Cleveland scheduled to return home against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3, Sanders could still have a chance to make his case if Monken decides a change is necessary.

The game, which is in the latter parts of the fourth quarter, was interrupted with the Cleveland Browns holding a narrow lead in the game. It’s been a back-and-forth affair between them and the home-side Buccaneers.

Officials are monitoring weather conditions to determine when it is safe for teams to return to the field. However, when a lightning delay is the reason for suspension, it usually takes up to 30 minutes from the last lightning to get everyone back on the field.

The Browns shocked the Bucs by giving them a tough battle

At the time of the lightning delay, the Browns lead the game 23-19, but the Buccaneers had the ball and were in scoring range. However, they need a touchdown and two minutes remain in the game.

The Browns were 9-point underdogs coming into the game. Both their defense and offense overachieved what was expected from them. Deshaun Watson has 24/30 passes completed for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Wideout Denzel Boston had five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, the defense has held strong.

How many games have faced weather delays in 2026 NFL season?

This is the first game in the 2026 NFL season to face a weather-related delay. However, many games face rainy conditions, so there might be more delays in store.

Lightning within a specific safety radius ( 8-10 miles) of a stadium is the most common cause of a weather delay in the NFL. Football games are routinely played through heavy rain, snow, and wind. Still, the conditions must adhere to the safety rules.

The decision comes after a fierce quarterback competition throughout training camp and the preseason. Sanders pushed Deshaun Watson for the job and showed flashes that made the Browns’ decision difficult, while Dillon Gabriel also made a strong push for consideration during the battle for the quarterback room.

Ultimately, Watson won the starting job entering the regular season, and Monken is giving the veteran another opportunity in Week 2 despite a disappointing performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Watson completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Cleveland’s 34-10 loss, but Monken said the film showed enough positives to justify keeping him in the lineup.

Who is starting quarterback for Browns vs Buccaneers?

Deshaun Watson is starting at quarterback for the Browns against the Buccaneers, with Shedeur Sanders remaining his backup. Monken said after reviewing the Week 1 film that he still anticipates Watson being the starter, pointing to areas where the veteran can improve and noting that the offense as a whole must perform better around him.

Watson’s Week 1 performance has nevertheless increased the pressure surrounding the Browns’ quarterback situation. Cleveland struggled badly against Jacksonville, particularly during the first half, and another difficult outing in Tampa Bay could force Monken to reconsider his decision heading into Week 3.

That could open the door for Sanders to make his first NFL start in Cleveland’s Week 3 home game against the Carolina Panthers. Monken has not announced such a change, but Sanders remains the obvious alternative if the Browns decide that Watson has not done enough to keep the job after two games.

For now, however, Monken is choosing experience over the young quarterback who pushed Watson throughout the offseason. Sanders will have to wait for his opportunity, while Watson gets another chance to prove that he can lead the Browns after returning to regular-season action following his long absence.

McMillan is one of Baker Mayfield’s primary targets in the passing game, although the quarterback has other options at his disposal. Both Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. are key alternatives in the Bucs’ passing attack.

Todd Bowles’ team began its season with a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and will need to bounce back as quickly as possible to avoid falling to 0-2 this early in the season. With McMillan being able to show that he is healthy, this is a huge boost for Tampa Bay’s offense.

McMillan’s knee is the issue

Jalen McMillan has been sidelined with a knee strain sustained early in training camp that kept him completely out of Tampa Bay’s season opener. While he was a full participant in practice all week and got tagged as questionable heading into Week 2 against Cleveland, the Bucs’ medical staff is taking a super cautious approach with his return.

Mayfield has his targets covered

With McMillan out in the season opener, Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. stepped up seamlessly to show why they remain Baker Mayfield’s most trusted high-end weapons in the passing game. Godwin was a reliable safety valve all afternoon, hauling in 8 receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, while Egbuka proved why he’s a premier playmaker by racking up 92 receiving yards and a score of his own on 6 catches.

They controlled the tempo against Cincinnati’s secondary from start to finish, proving that as long as they are on the field, Mayfield’s primary reads and top-tier explosive options are in complete, steady hands.

What’s ahead for the Bucs?

Looking past their Week 2 matchup against Cleveland Browns, the Bucs are gearing up for a tough three-game stretch that keeps them tested on both fronts. They stay at home for back-to-back games against NFC North contenders—hosting the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 and the Green Bay Packers in Week 4—before hitting the road in Week 5 for a prime-time style clash against Dallas Cowboys. It’s a heavy-duty run that should really push Tampa Bay’s limits early in the season.

“Taking it one day at a time, making sure that you harp on little details,” Mayfield said during his press conference. “That goes back to, obviously, not coming out on the right side of the game last week, of really focusing on the small details. And so, when you do that, good things will happen on Sundays.

“So, for me, focusing on that and then when the lights come on, you get out there and play, it’s time to go — let it loose.” Fumbles were his main Achilles’ heel, as he was overwhelmed by the pressure from the Bengals’ defensive line.

Struggling in that way may actually be the best thing at this stage of the season, with plenty of time still left to turn things around. For now, the quarterback is aware of this and knows he will have to improve quickly in order to secure the Buccaneers’ first win.

Baker must avoid the fumbles

Baker Mayfield and the Bucs opened their 2026 season on a rough note, dropping a tight 33-27 battle to the Bengals. Baker was efficiency-wise pretty sharp, completing 23 of 28 passes for 216 yards and scrambling for a rushing touchdown, but the ball security issues completely derailed the offense.

Putting the ball on the turf 3 times with those costly fumbles wiped out any real flow Tampa Bay Buccaneers were trying to build, leaving them playing catch-up all afternoon despite his solid passing efficiency.

Mayfield and the Browns meet again

Todd Bowles’ team will face its next challenge at home against an opponent that gives Bucs an opportunity to earn their first win of the season: the Cleveland Browns. Baker Mayfield used to play in the Dawg Pound and has nothing but fond memories of his time with the franchise.

“Yeah, I mean, with any experience, there’s ups and downs, good and bad. Ultimately, you remember the good more so than the bad,” he said. “Yeah, first time having a playoff win since ’94 there. And going on the road and doing it in Pittsburgh. So, a lot of good memories there. A lot of teammates that are friends for life. But like I said earlier, it’s a very different building now.”

Monken reaffirmed Deshaun Watson as the starter. However, he even went further and said “there were some really good things on film” about Watson. For Browns fans, that’s a head-scratcher.

Yes, Watson had a 46-yard TD pass to rookie Denzel Boston, but he also did nothing much. Hence, for Monken to say that film showed some good things will certainly confuse a lot of people.

Deshaun Watson’s stats in Week 1

The Browns lost 10-34 to the Jaguars, Watson had 16 completions in 22 attempts for 205 passing yards, 38 rushing yards, one TD, one interception and a 97.7 passer rating. A pedestrian performance in a one-sided loss.

Watson had somewhat good mobility but was sacked five times, including one where takes eight steps back after already being in shotgun formation, which caused a hefty loss of yards.

How does the matchup vs Bucs project?

The good thing is the Buccaneers just allowed 33 points in Week 1 and it’s up to Watson and company to try and replicate that. However, it was against a much better offense than what the Browns have.

Whether Shedeur Sanders could provide more of an upside or not against the Buccaneers remains to be seen. However, it seems that unless Watson gets injured, Sanders won’t be able to play in Week 2.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow gave an honest answer when asked how he felt about his performance in Week 1. “Yeah, If I didn’t have that interception, I’m feeling great walking out of here. You can’t make plays like that, so I got to get that fixed,” Burrow told reporters in the locker room, per Mike Petraglia. “Offensive line was pretty lights out. I thought we ran the ball, ran the ball well in spots, and you know, I got the ball to my guys in space pretty quickly.”

Burrow’s one mistake of the game was a significant one. Buccaneers rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter picked off Burrow for a pick-six during the third quarter, a mistake that helped bring Tampa Bay closer to Cincinnati on the scoreboard and made the rest of the contest that much more competitive.

Burrow encouraged after securing Week 1 victory

During his locker room comments, Burrow balanced his self-criticism with optimism and appreciation for the win, understanding how crucial it is to open the season with a victory in Week 1.

“It’s great for the vibes,” Burrow said. “There’s a lot of attention around Week 1, just because there’s so much anticipation around it. So going out and getting a win feels great, but we just got to keep it rolling.”

The standard is through the roof for Burrow, who knows one week does not make a season. Cincinnati has another huge game next weekend that could spark a long winning streak leading into an October matchup against Baltimore, who also started 1-0 on Sunday.

“Yeah, it was great to see the work come in and execute in those situations. But it’s one week. We got to keep getting better. Come and learn tomorrow. Get back in the lab,” Burrow noted before praising the crowd for helping induce penalties on Tampa Bay to offset Cincinnati’s offensive mistakes. “Yeah, that’s what you see in Week 1. A lot of procedural penalties. We had some as well on defense. So that came at pretty good times.”

Burrow’s Week 1 stat line

Burrow finished the game 25-of-35 for 254 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding five carries for 20 rushing yards on the ground to cap off an encouraging NFL season opener.

Getting the win in Week 1 is the most important outcome from Sunday’s game, but Cincinnati showed promise while keeping their sights set on improvement. Next up, the Bengals head on the road to face the Texans, who are coming off a loss to the Bills, in Week 2.

Adding a humorous note to the situation, NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared a funny quote from Mayfield regarding the negotiations via X, formerly Twitter. “Apparently, they engaged in talks last week that I did not know about,” Mayfield stated during his press conference.

Now that Mayfield has secured his continuity with the Buccaneers through the 2029 season, the focus officially shifts back to returning to the playoffs. The Buccaneers missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2019 due to a late-season slump that allowed the Carolina Panthers to claim the division title. With Mayfield under a new contract and fully recovered, Tampa Bay is expected to return to the top of the NFC South.

What Mayfield has delivered

Since replacing Tom Brady in 2023 on a one-year prove-it deal, Mayfield has thrown for 12,237 yards and 95 touchdowns, won two division titles, and earned two consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

Mayfield, who was selected first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by Cleveland, earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first two seasons in Tampa while guiding the Buccaneers to consecutive NFC South titles.

He experienced an up-and-down 2025 campaign marked by multiple injuries, but returns in 2026 motivated him to help Tampa Bay qualify for the playoffs. He was an MVP candidate during the first half of last season when the team started 6-2, but he struggled with injuries and saw his performance dip.

Expecting a strong start

The 2026 NFL season will begin with a trip to Cincinnati to face the Bengals. The Buccaneers have another AFC North road trip to Maryland to take on the Baltimore Ravens. They will face Cincinnati’s division rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, at Raymond James Stadium, hoping to start in the best possible way.

According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, the Jets are considering a dive into the backup QB market. Along the names given by Cimini, Jake Browning is one of the top names to monitor.

The advantage Browning has over the rest of the list is that he will be free. Many of the other QBs included on the shortlist already have a team, which means a trade would need to happen. Even if it’s a cheap trade, in Browning’s case it would be a free transaction.

Browning still has some alarming things

Browning was the clear cut favorite to win the backup role on the Buccaneers. He lost the spot to an undrafted free agent in Jalon Johnson. Also, the last we saw of Browning in the NFL wasn’t very good.

Sure, this is a backup role he’d be getting, but his numbers are not impressive. If the Jets pull the trigger on Browning, they’ll be getting a quarterback that had a 0-3 record, for a 64.8% completion, 771 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2025.

Jets updated QB depth chart

Given that Browning is still not on the Jets, the fact is that the team would also have to move some names on their depth chart. As of now, these are the Jets quarterbacks:

• Geno Smith
• Cade Klubnik
• Brady Cook

“I’m very optimistic about it,” the General Manager said, via Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. “He wants to play. He wants to prove to us that he is the franchise quarterback that we said that he was. So, we’ll just have to see how it plays out. I’ll never close the door on anything in the short term, but right now, he’s focused on football.”

With a new season in Tampa Bay just around the corner, the future of the former Cleveland Browns quarterback beyond the 2026 campaign remains uncertain. Will Licht be able to reach an agreement and keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay for many more years to come?

Where do the Bucs stand with Mayfield right now?

The contract extension talks between Mayfield and the Bucs hit a wall right before training camp. While Tampa Bay was willing to pay top-tier money—around $50M per year—the impasse comes down to length: the front office only offered a short two-year deal, whereas Mayfield is hunting for a long-term commitment as their franchise guy.

After setting a firm deadline for the start of camp, Baker openly admitted feeling “disrespected” by their proposals, shut down any further in-season negotiations to focus purely on football, and is now set to play out the 2026 season before hitting free agency in 2027.

The Bucs need Baker Mayfield

After a disappointing 8-9 campaign in 2025 that saw Tampa Bay miss out on the postseason, Mayfield’s production took a natural hit—finishing with 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while battling injuries across his receiving corps and offensive line. Still, the Bucs desperately need him dialed in if they want to crash the playoff party again.

In an NFC South that remains wide open, Baker brings the swagger, toughness, and proven track record of elevating this offense; without a long-term deal locked in, Tampa’s entire season hinges on whether their fiery QB can turn that disrespected chip on his shoulder into another career bounce-back year.