Taking to Trask: New offense leader in Tampa Bay
At time of writing, and in the wake of Brady re-retiring, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have just one quarterback on their roster – Kyle Trask.
With Blaine Gabbert currently a free agent, and no word yet on his status moving forward, Trask moves into the signal caller role in Tampa Bay. Heading into his third year with the Bucs, Trask never took a snap in his first year and was active in just one encounter last season, completing 3 of 9 passes for a total 23 yards in the closing minutes at Atlanta in the last week of the regular season.
Prior to being drafted in 2021, Trask shaped his craft just over 200km north of the Bucs’ Raymond James Stadium at the University of Florida. Playing his first games for the Gators in 2018, he made his first start in 2019 following an injury to Feleipe Franks, now with the Falcons.
In spite of starting only 22 games, Trask is the Gators’ sixth all-time leader in career passing touchdowns. In his final season there, a shortened one in 2020, he set new records and threw for a total of 4,382 passing yards.
Trask would go on to be a Heisman Trophy Finalist, but would be the only shortlisted player not to be a first-round pick in the draft in Cleveland a few months later.
That the Texas-born rookie was a second-round pick, 64th overall in the draft, shouldn’t matter greatly. The 2021 class was QB-heavy and he was the next to be selected after Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones.
An accurate QB, Trask has previously tended to perform better with shorter throws. That translates – as it tends to in the eyes of various critics – as to be lacking in arm strength and maybe even further so when likened to his fellow rookie QB cohort. His considered lack of mobility too might also explain why he didn’t invite as much attention as the aforementioned golden quintet of his draft class.
A new Bucs offense
Fast forward two years later, and Trask has two years of learning from Tom Brady under his belt. Invaluable tuition time for sure, particularly given Brady’s additional year.
Before the draft, there was a school of thought of how working under a seasoned veteran would yield long-term benefits for Trask and now, in Brady’s absence, he has a massive opportunity to apply his new knowledge and prove himself. Conscious of his limited field time, it remains possible the Bucs may bring in a more (and perhaps inexpensive) seasoned quarterback as his back-up to continue that learning process.
Granted, having Kadarius Toney and Kyle Pitts alongside him in Gainesville certainly bolstered his stock and stats, a detail not lost on his toughest commentators. But in Tampa, he’ll also benefit from the experience of Bucs players who have won a Super Bowl, including WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. A confidence in Trask is slowly, but surely, growing that he’ll lead the team in the NFC South.
The impending release of Leonard Fournette aside, the nature of offense in Tampa will feel different in other ways too this year as a result of new backroom hires.
Former offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, along with eight other Bucs coaches, was let go in January, just a couple of days after the team were dumped out of the play-offs by the Cowboys. These firings were the first under Todd Bowles as Head Coach. Former Seahawks quarterback coach Dave Canales was appointed as new offensive coordinator a month later.
During the interview process, prospect hires were cognisant of the intention to start Trask in 2023. Knowing what talent he has in Trask, and having worked with and shaped Pro Bowl QBs in recent years, Canales will be vital in moulding Trask into a top-tier QB.
Indeed, Canales has spoken lately about how his QB is developing and distributing the ball.
First though, the Bucs needs to improve their O-Line. It doesn’t matter how good Trask is if he has no protection, something Canales will be all too aware of in developing his QB as a speedy passer.
Week One
It looks increasingly likely Trask will be given his first start when the new season commences. It’ll feel like a long-time coming, and as kick-off gets ever closer, expectations will begin to mount. But make no mistake, Trask has earned his start and it’d be rather unfair to suggest it is down to a lack of other options.
Bowles himself has commended Trask’s work ethic, claiming him to be the first on and last to leave the practice field. Since his first day of rookie minicamp, right up until just last week, formers Bucs coach Bruce Arians has continued to express his confidence in his abilities too.
Between now and September, the Bucs have other matters that need addressing, but there’s every chance that once he finds his rhythm, Trask could be one of the NFC’s counterparts to the AFC’s emerging generational QBs.
