Losing this century’s defining NFL player to retirement, the Buccaneers will look quite different in 2023. The team will give the former second-round pick groomed during Tom Brady‘s final years a shot.
During the OC interview process, the Bucs told candidates they planned to give Kyle Trask a legitimate opportunity to win the job, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes. Trask has played in one game over two seasons, but with Brady retired and Blaine Gabbert a free agent, a path exists to an unlikely ascent.
That said, Stroud adds the Bucs will pursue a veteran passer or two. But their salary cap situation — an issue largely present because of the $35.1MM void-years tab Brady’s restructure created — will obviously influence the team’s decision. The Bucs told coordinator candidates their cap situation will shape their quarterback search.
Tampa Bay chose Trask 64th overall in 2021 and parked him behind Brady and Gabbert for two years. While the ex-Florida Gator passer has scant game tape to judge (in the regular season, that is), he has generated some buzz among teammates. Some among the Bucs believe Trask can make a push for the QB1 job.
The Bucs have been loosely connected to Derek Carr, but they are not in the driver’s seat. They sit a league-most $56.5MM over the cap as of Friday afternoon. Numerous transactions will be required to comply with the 2023 salary ceiling. That would point to the Bucs passing on the likes of Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo. Cheaper options will be available. Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Andy Dalton, Teddy Bridgewater, Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, Taylor Heinicke, Mike White and Mason Rudolph are among the options that are unlikely to exceed midlevel contracts at the position in free agency.
Trask, 24, has completed 58.8% of his preseason passes. He spent two seasons as Florida’s starter, winding up on the second-round radar thanks to his 2020 finale. Trask threw 43 touchdown passes during a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping turn Kyle Pitts into a top-five draftee. The Bucs did not view Trask as having progressed to the point of beating out Gabbert for the backup job during training camp last year, however.
“Yeah, so with Kyle, the QB run stuff, QB read stuff won’t be a big feature of what we do,” new Bucs OC Dave Canales said, via Stroud. “But as far as everything else that we do in terms of the play-actions and the keeper game, he’s plenty athletic enough. He’s got short-space quickness. … he’s got plenty of athleticism to run our system.”
Given the Bucs cap situation, rolling with Trusk and Gabbert would be their best option. If Trusk falls flat on his face, Gabbert will help them hobble through the season.
If Trusk does well, the Bucs could be a playoff team again as they can hang on to most of their existing talent, instead of paying big money for an ordinary or mediocre free agent QB. That rookie QB window is now open.
Trusk has lots of big game poise and I’ve seen him throw some very good long passes under pressure. This might work out well.
Alec, not to be demeaning but exactly where did you see this “big game poise” and “him throw very good long bases under pressure…..as the scout team QB, or in pre-season because he has a total of 23 yds passing credit in his entire career….I think you may be living in the Brock Purdy dreamworld where a rookie or young guy gets thrust into a starting QB situation and lights the stadium on fire….even Purdy is going to have to prove he belongs once Defenses get the chance to scheme against his abilities when he comes back from his injury during next years camp……has anybody other than But fans even ever heard of this kid before?
He got it from his college tape. I trust that was obvious.
Trask is well known to have had limited starting experience before filling in for the Gators following the Felipe Franks back-and-forth. He had a few early struggles, but quickly showed an aptitude for working past them and leading the Gators to wins after some of those mistakes or challenges (his game against S. Carolina is a good game to watch).
Trask has exceptional arm talent, good size, and the aforementioned calm mentality that made him an intriguing prospect. He did not go into college as one of heralded Ohio State or Georgia AAU number 1 ranked superstars, but he did end up starting at a perennial football power facing the best defenses in college, so there is a lot to observe from a pre-professional level. I am not-read, not-predicting that he is a sure thing to have a good NFL career, because proven offensive coaching is the most important factor in a young QB’s development and the Bucs don’t currently have that anymore. However, Trask’s strengths were obvious, as well as the weaknesses that were advertised.
His most obvious weakness is 23 pass attempts to date…..all that positive stuff is fluff the his agent probably wrote…..and counting on him to lead an offense with veteran players is a bridge too far…..
3 compleions out of 9 for23 yards.
No, those are my observations. Obviously, Trask does not have experience. Obviously, I am not guaranteeing or predicting any success. Obviously, college tape is much different than NFL tape. We have no idea who Trask will be in the pros. But that’s his profile right now-an unproven guy with those traits. Once again, nothing is guaranteed, but to purposefully ignore a player’s college tape entirely is…well, silly.
I would agree.
They saw something in him to draft him. With the commitment in draft and money it makes sense to give him a shot.
I don’t see Trask beating out any of the veteran QB’s mentioned, except for Mason Rudolph. If the Bucs were running the same offense he learned for 2 years, then maybe.
I would start a 75 yr old Terry Bradshaw I’ve Trask!
You clearly couldn’t spell CAT if you were spotted the C and T. Trash is easily the better option at this time. Lol
Mariotta will be available soon, once the Falcons cut him. I’d recommend him….he’s the best.
Shhh. The Buccaneers don’t want their fans to realize they are going downhill fast.
I’d take a flyer on Mayfield, only one with actual LT upside of that bunch.
If you’re a Bears fan, you would love to see the Bucs bring back Mike Glennon.
Mariotta or Carr both make sense for Tampa Bay.