Todd Bowles Provides Unfortunate Update About Baker Mayfield Timeline

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield hasn't played since Week 3 when he dislocated his right throwing thumb.

Originally, it was expected that Mayfield would only miss three weeks, but now it's a possibility he could be out for longer. He was ruled out for this Sunday's contest versus the Pittsburgh Steelers already.

So, is there an idea of when Mayfield will return to the field? Coach Todd Bowles answered some questions about Mayfield's timeline on Friday. Unfortunately, he didn't have an exact answer.

"No more update than the usual," Bowles said regarding Mayfield. "[He's] not ready to go."

Even though Mayfield isn't ready to go, does Bowles feel "encouraged" by what he's seen recovery-wise from Mayfield?

"[I'll be] encouraged when he has his helmet out there at practice," Bowles said.

That's a completely fair statement from the head coach. But it isn't a promising update for Buccaneers fans to hear. Who knows if Mayfield will be back on the field any time soon. In fact, Bowles said the quarterback's status for Week 7 is "too early to tell."

Bowles recently said that Mayfield won't be starting on the field until he's "100%" ready. So, it seems that Mayfield must not feel 100% since he was ruled out.

In Week 7, the Buccaneers will face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Oct. 25. There's a chance Mayfield could return then, but don't get your hopes up.

In Mayfield's absence, rookie Jalon Daniels started the last two games. He's completed 38-of-55 pass attempts for 337 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Last week, Daniels helped lead the Bucs to a shocking 24-16 win over the Dallas Cowboys, which gave fans some more hope that Daniels could continue to rack up some wins for the 1-4 Buccaneers.