Baker Mayfield is treating his thumb injury timeline like a mere suggestion

Baker Mayfield is getting stitches taken out of his thumb on Monday, which sounds like a minor inconvenience until you remember he throws footballs for a living.\n\nAccording to Tom Pelissero, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is pushing to beat a three-week recovery timeline. Getting the thread pulled out of his throwing hand is step one in a process that usually takes a lot longer than Baker wants it to.\n\nThe Bucs could certainly use him back in the huddle. Tampa Bay is coming off a gritty 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on September 27, a game where the offense clearly missed its chaotic, gunslinging engine.\n\nAnyone who has watched Mayfield over the last few years knows he treats medical timelines like mere suggestions. This is a guy who would probably try to tape a severed limb back together if it meant he could take the field on a Sunday. A three-week window to him is just a challenge to see if he can do it in two.\n\nThe immediate problem is the Green Bay Packers, who roll into Tampa on October 4. Oddsmakers and fantasy managers are going to be sweating out the practice reports all week. If the stitches come out clean and Mayfield starts throwing, the line on this game is going to bounce around like a pinball.\n\nFor now, Monday is the hurdle. If the thumb looks good, expect the Baker comeback tour to hit fast-forward. If not, the Bucs are going to have to figure out how to survive a brutal October stretch without their QB1.