Earlier this offseason Buccaneers’ quarterback Tom Brady retired from the game. This set off a chain of events that now leaves the Pewter Pirates with a legitimate quarterback competition.
The Competitors
The Buccaneers drafted quarterback Kyle Trask in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL draft. This past offseason the team signed quarterback Baker Mayfield to a one-year deal. Trask has very little experience aside from some preseason reps. Mayfield is the seasoned vet with over 16,000 yards and over 100 touchdown passes.
Earlier this week while speaking with the media Trask talked about the upcoming competition with Mayfield.
“This is a good opportunity for me, and a great opportunity for me to compete with someone like Baker, who’s definitely proven himself in this league,” Trask stated. “So, it will be very fun to get to know him and compete with him every day. For me, I always try to be as consistent as I can. I’m always trying to build my routine, square it away as tight as I can.”
Trask Continued,
“So, it’s just very important for me to really lock that in at a time like now and try to make myself as productive as possible to help this team in the end and hopefully help the overall success of this team.”
Trask understands the NFL is a business and that ultimately the team will do what’s best for the organization.
“I’ve just been told it’s an open competition, but at the end of the day I know that the team’s going to do what they have to do to put whoever on the field that’s going to allow our team to be the most successful. For me, I feel this time I just really need to hone in and be as consistent as I can. At the end of the day, I’m just trying to do whatever I can to make this team succeed.”
Trask spent his first two years in the league sitting behind Blaine Gabbert and Tom Brady. While he surely picked up some habits and routines from Gabbert and the GOAT, the offense he learned isn’t here anymore. The Buccaneers recently hired Dave Canales as their offensive coordinator. His system is, to say the least different than previous offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich’s system. Trask spoke to this as well.
“Fortunately enough, I’ve had two years of prior experience with a very veteran quarterback room, and there’s a lot to take away from that,” Trask stated. “I’m going to try to implement some of those styles and routines that they had into my routine, and hopefully that will make us more successful at the end of the day.”
Trask understands he has an uphill climb,
“Kind of just piggybacking off of what I said earlier being as consistent as I can. I guarantee you the job won’t be won if I’m thinking about outside things and different types of narratives. That’s not going to translate to success on the football field. I need to narrow my focus and do my best to put the team in the most successful position possible. And at the end of the day, just have fun and lift the ones around you, because I think when you do that, it ties the whole thing together and everybody plays better.”
The Buccaneers will have a new starting quarterback under center to start this season. Kyle Trask is ready to compete for that position.