Does Kyle Trask Nonetheless Have A Future With The Bucs?

Kyle Trask is poised to hit free company subsequent week for the primary time in his NFL profession and has no concept what to anticipate. The Bucs backup quarterback has not often seen the sector in his 4 years in Tampa Bay since being the crew’s second-round choose in 2021 following the crew’s Tremendous Bowl LV win.

“I don’t know – I really don’t know what to expect because I’ve never done this before,” Trask informed Pewter Report. “There are solely 32 job openings for a quarterback within the NFL. Simply management what you may management.

“Yes, it’s cliche, but I try to talk to some of the backups around the league after games and stuff, to see what their thought process is. Kind of the same for those guys – just keep preparing like you’re the starter because obviously, you got to be ready. Something happens – you want to keep this thing going.”

The issue for Trask is that Tom Brady didn’t miss a single begin throughout his closing two years in Tampa Bay from 2021-22, and Baker Mayfield has been wholesome sufficient to begin each single one of many video games over the previous two seasons. That has impeded Trask’s probabilities of getting a glance as a attainable starter elsewhere across the league.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask, C Graham Barton and OL Robert Hainsey – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Trask has solely made seven appearances in common video games over the previous three seasons, principally to take a knee following a Bucs victory. He’s accomplished simply 4-of-11 passes (36.4%) for 28 yards over his profession with most of these makes an attempt coming within the second half of a Week 18 loss at Atlanta on the finish of the 2022 season after Tampa Bay had clinched the NFC South division crown.

The flip facet is that he’s by no means sustained an damage and has loads of tread left on his tires at age 27, which he turned on Thursday, March 6.

“It definitely doesn’t hurt to be healthy,” Trask stated. “You have to be prepared to play, and if you’re not healthy, that doesn’t do any good. I definitely do take great pride in taking care of my body still, even though I’m not getting hit or things like that. Make sure I’m avoiding any soft tissue injuries. Just taking that extra step to make sure I might be available just in case anything were to happen.”

Kyle Trask Might Be Pursued By Different Groups In Free Company

Bucs QB Kyle Trask and former OC Liam Coen – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Kyle Trask is coming off the most effective preseason of his profession, finishing 65.1% of his passes for 393 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. In 4 preseasons with the Bucs, Trask has accomplished 62.2% of his passes for 1,671 yards with seven touchdowns and 6 interceptions. However the issue is that’s all of the NFL sport movie that groups actually have to judge main as much as the beginning of free company, which begins on Monday.

There’s a probability that former Bucs assistant basic supervisor John Spytek, who’s now the Raiders basic supervisor, can be curious about Trask. Las Vegas moved on from Gardner Minshew and Desmond Ridder, and solely has Aidan O’Connell and Carter Bradley, a rookie on the apply squad final 12 months, on their 2025 roster proper now.

And Jacksonville might be curious about Trask if new head coach Liam Coen was really keen on him from his stint because the Bucs offensive coordinator final 12 months. Mac Jones, who was Trevor Lawrence’s backup final 12 months, is rumored to be focused by San Francisco in free company. Jones was a former first-round choose of the Patriots in 2021, which was additionally the 12 months that Trask was drafted.

Bucs Have One other QB Possibility Apart From Kyle Trask In Michael Pratt

The Bucs want to have Trask return to backup Baker Mayfield this 12 months, but in addition have Michael Pratt, who was signed to the apply squad after he was launched by Inexperienced Bay, who drafted him within the seventh spherical. Ideally, Tampa Bay want to have Trask and Pratt battle for the fitting to be QB2 behind Mayfield in coaching camp.

“I like Trask,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated. “I think he’s a good football player. He just came behind Brady and now Baker. It’s just kind of tough to get on the field.”

Bucs QB Michael Pratt – Photograph by: Cliff Welch P/R

Regardless of having Trask on the roster final 12 months as Mayfield’s backup, Tampa Bay practically drafted Pratt within the seventh spherical – solely to see Inexperienced Bay choose him one spot forward of the Bucs. However when the Packers minimize him after the preseason, the Bucs pounced on Pratt and signed him to the apply squad.

If Trask have been to maneuver on from Tampa Bay this offseason then Pratt would probably ascend to the backup position, however the crew will surely usher in one other quarterback to compete with him in coaching camp.

“Pratt, we think he’s very talented,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated. “After we obtained him, he didn’t actually have an opportunity to get the system down as a result of he was taking part in scout crew on a regular basis. You may’t actually get these performs in. Having this spring might be necessary for him.

“And if we lost Trask, we’d probably look to add one, whether it’s a younger one or an older one remains to be seen. [Someone] who can probably fit our system and learn it the best, but that’s something we’ve talked about for sure. We really want to get a chance to see what Pratt can do this spring because it’s not fair to evaluate him just playing the scout team.”

Trask has not misplaced confidence in himself whereas he waits for his first actual alternative to play quarterback in an everyday season sport.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I got a lot of belief in myself,” Trask stated. “Whenever I’m out there, I feel like I have a good grasp of the system and I feel really confident making sure everyone’s on the same page. Just keep trekking along, keep preparing, and stay ready to play.”

What retains Trask feeling optimistic about his future is the truth that there have been loads of quarterbacks who’ve continued to play into their late 30s and even early 40s currently. And a number of other former backups, resembling Geno Smith, Sam Darnold and even Mayfield, have resurrected their careers when given one other probability to begin later of their careers.

“Yeah, for sure,” Trask stated. “Particularly on the quarterback place, you’ve obtained to maintain all of it in perspective as a result of there are solely so many job openings. There are solely so many alternatives and also you by no means know when that’s going to come back. It may come subsequent 12 months. It may come 5 years from now. You by no means know.

“You look at some of the situations of the guys you just named. Geno had a long stretch where he wasn’t playing but he finally got his opportunity and he was ready for it. None of us can predict the future, so you just have to do your best to be ready at all times. That’s our job, to be ready, so trying to do my best with that.”