Trying To Figure Out The Backup Quarterback Mystery
March 29th, 2022
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Man, Joe is just obsessed with trying to figure out the quarterback lineup after Tom Brady.
Yesterday Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht spoke to local media and one question was about who will back up Brady.
Now before Joe gets rolling, Joe doesn’t give a damn where a guy was drafted, how much money he is making or where the hell he went to school. May the second-best man win the No. 2 quarterback position, and may the third-best man be the No. 3 guy — and the fourth-best man fetch Brady’s tequila on his yacht in late February.
Something really weird is going on.
Some three weeks ago, the Bucs talked loud and proud how Blaine Gabbert would lead the Bucs to an NFC South crown this fall with the retirement of Brady. Since, Brady has returned but Gabbert is still unemployed. Odd.
Yesterday when asked about the backups, Licht invoked Ryan Griffin’s name and suggested the way he helped Kyle Trask ride his bike with the training wheels bolted on that Griffin could very realistically be in the mix for the No. 2 quarterback. Like Gabbert, Griffin also is unemployed.
This Griffin chatter on top of the Gabbert love machine at the combine made Joe wonder if Trask is that much of a project that he needs two full seasons of development before he can be trusted to back up Brady?
Joe is as confused about this as when the Bucs did a hard sell on Gabbert as a starter despite Gabbert not being on the roster.
This mystery is both fun and bewildering.
Who will be Tom Brady’s backup? Is it Blaine Gabbert? Kyle Trask?#Bucs GM Jason Licht. pic.twitter.com/cxm938wzLq
— rock riley (@realrockriley) March 28, 2022
March 29th, 2022 at 12:04 am
The Backup may not be on the roster yet
March 29th, 2022 at 12:17 am
Way off topic.
I’m having minor heart surgery in the morning,
It’s called a cardio mems device.
Prayers would be much appreciated.
March 29th, 2022 at 12:18 am
My name is Fred .
March 29th, 2022 at 12:18 am
Smoke Season!
March 29th, 2022 at 12:19 am
You got ’em here Fred!
March 29th, 2022 at 12:20 am
Waste of money on a backup free agent. Why spend all the money on QB and oline ?
March 29th, 2022 at 12:23 am
You are going to be just fine Fred. Get some sleep tonight.
March 29th, 2022 at 12:35 am
Fred:
You will be back on this site telling Joe to go take a flying eff off the Skyway Bridge by 4 p.m. 👍
March 29th, 2022 at 12:41 am
Prayers sent Fred.
These guys are as good at fixing hearts as Tom Brady is at Qbing. That’s all they do all day, every day. You’ll be stronger than ever.
God Bless
March 29th, 2022 at 12:54 am
There’s no mystery, the Bucs are slotting only a vet min salary for the backup slot — and Gabbert wants more money, and the Bucs think they can do better than Griffin.
March 29th, 2022 at 1:19 am
Joe acts like we should have taken Arians’ words about Gabbert as something more than they were. He does what coaches do — expresses confidence in his players, especially those he may have to rely on. I’m sure he has an appreciation for Gabbert, but nobody believed he was actually planning on going into the season with Gabbert as the starter. It’s just coach-speak.
I don’t read anything into anything Licht may say about Griffin either. He probably was helpful to Trask. He’s been around, knows the system, knows how to practice as an NFLer. Nothing more than that.
I don’t see why this confuses Joe. You may be looking for answers they don’t even have yet. No reason to panic.
March 29th, 2022 at 1:23 am
@Joe
What are your thoughts on the amount of time Aaron Rodgers spent riding the pine waiting for Farve to retire and then ultimately be forced out?
March 29th, 2022 at 1:58 am
If there are chances to upgrade the roster, why not consider them? They won’t have backup QB nailed down until after the draft.
Nobody’s job is safe except Brady, and for how long? Only Christensen knows, but Trask may or may not be safe, if they believe they can land an even better future QB with a trade. Griffen and Gabbert aren’t being chased by other teams, so they are easy options down the road. Griffen actually isn’t a terrible player.
March 29th, 2022 at 2:06 am
Godspeed, Fred.
Bucs are about $9 million under the cap now.
My guess is they’re working on restructuring deals to fit Gronk and Suh deals under the cap and make room for rookie deals. Backup QB is Trask most likely.
March 29th, 2022 at 2:16 am
listen…
goodell will send out a memo to all teams real soon…
“you even so much as touch the goat – and you die”
therefore we don’t even need a back up
🙂
#OneTeamOneQb
March 29th, 2022 at 3:46 am
Prayers sent, Fred
March 29th, 2022 at 4:45 am
Good luck mr Fred prayers are up for you bro! Bucs life bucs family 💯
March 29th, 2022 at 5:18 am
Bucs have 2 QBs on the roster, Tom Brady and Kyle Trask. Gut feel is that Tom Brady will start and Kyle Trask will back up. Mystery solved. Next.
March 29th, 2022 at 5:54 am
Good luck Fred, you got this!
March 29th, 2022 at 6:00 am
A QB competition for the backup.
March 29th, 2022 at 6:11 am
Fred….sounds like some prayers have already been answered for you since the Cardiomemes device is a diagnostic tool to predict future heart events…..you are catching things early….but more prayers are always helpful.
And prayers to Joe for his anxiety over our backup QB…….patience, Joe…patience.
March 29th, 2022 at 6:34 am
You got it Fred!
March 29th, 2022 at 6:50 am
They could sign Gabbert or Griffin and put them on the practice squad when the season starts and no one would pick them up. Remember they will be unemployed if the bucs don’t sign them.
March 29th, 2022 at 6:56 am
Never believe anything from the coaches or front office from Feb – Apr, unless it is to announce a signing. It’s smokescreen more often than not for FA and the draft.
Coaches live every player, not enough cap space, college player with high potential …
March 29th, 2022 at 7:05 am
You got this Fred. Prayers sent bro
March 29th, 2022 at 7:07 am
Best wishes Fred! You got this.
That Ryan Griffin comes back into the conversation is hilarious and scary at the same time.
The Ryan Griffin legend lives on!!!
I truly hope that Trask is further along. If not….well!
March 29th, 2022 at 7:21 am
Prayers for you this morning, Fred. Prayers for your doctors and nurses as well.
March 29th, 2022 at 7:22 am
It shouldn’t matter who the backup QB is. Without Brady we are already lost, so just stick with Trask and that’s it.
March 29th, 2022 at 7:25 am
Fred! You are going to have a PERFECT surgery and you will feel so much better after the device is installed! I don’t do prayers but sending healing energy your way and willing you to a successful procedure. Bucs fans care about Bucs fans.
March 29th, 2022 at 7:27 am
Prayers sent Fred! Bucs family take care of each other! Best wishes, but you’ll be just fine.
March 29th, 2022 at 7:42 am
Prayers to Fred. Be Buc strong!
March 29th, 2022 at 7:48 am
Prayers to you, Fred. Let us know how it went.
March 29th, 2022 at 7:48 am
Prayers up Fred!!!
March 29th, 2022 at 8:18 am
Can we just take a minute to appreciate the fact that the backup QB is our seems to be our biggest concern on the current roster? What a difference 3 years makes.
March 29th, 2022 at 8:19 am
Need to worry more about who’s going to replace JPP, Suh, and McClendon than who will back up Brady. Gabbert will be resigned, and the Bucs will bring in an UDFA as the 4th arm for camp.
March 29th, 2022 at 8:19 am
Good luck fred. Have you seen the schedule If Brady goes down the team is screwed does it really matter who the backup is not really.
March 29th, 2022 at 8:40 am
Prayers and peace Fred.🙏👍
March 29th, 2022 at 8:55 am
Hey Fred I have done great with a pacemaker for almost 20 years. Modern medical devices are life savers!
March 29th, 2022 at 9:06 am
Sending good vibes your way, Fred! My wife has a number of medical issues, the main one is her heart. My motto for the last 25 years or so, is “Don’t worry til they tell you to worry” .
As far as a back up QB is concerned…it’s a back up QB. Don’t mean to be Donnie Downer but when was the last time a back up QB took a team to the SB?
March 29th, 2022 at 9:34 am
Much Love Fred!!!
March 29th, 2022 at 9:54 am
If you are suggesting Kyle Trask is Aaron Rodgers, tap the brakes. In fact lock up the brakes before you slam into the train.
Some in the know thought Rodgers could have been drafted No. 1 overall. He slipped to the Packers who couldn’t believe their luck.
Trask was drafted No. 64 and unlike Rodgers, did not back up the starting his rookie year and nothing Joe has heard yet from Licht or Arians seems to suggest that Trask will back up Brady this year.
Think it is a positive that a quarterback can sit the pine for a year or two but this bubble wrap the Bucs have Trask sealed in is weird.
March 29th, 2022 at 9:59 am
What’s the mystery? Everything is going according to plan. Brady’s your starter and Trask is in year two of his development to be the future starter. Bringing back Griffin and/or Gabbert fills out the Quarterback room with guys who know the system and can be of help to both Brady and Trask. Jason Licht said it himself that those two guys have been instrumental in Trask’s development. Bringing one or both of them back just solidifies their belief in Trask. Now if they go after Baker that would be a clear sign they don’t believe in Trask as the future. Don’t read too much into the talking points regarding Gabbert & Griffin. Of course they want Trask to feel competition for the starting job. They’re not going to just annoint him. No mystery here.
March 29th, 2022 at 10:04 am
You really believe the offseason “plan” of the Bucs entering April was to have no idea who was backing up a 45-year old quarterback???
March 29th, 2022 at 10:24 am
Nonsensical. Joe was happy the Bucs drafted Trask and was calling for them to put a young QB into this unique quarterback incubator. –Joe
March 29th, 2022 at 10:47 am
Joe, with all do respect you’re being very naive if you don’t think they have a plan for who is backing up Brady. They are just playing the waiting game. No one is rushing to out bid the Bucs for Gabbert or Griffin’s services. Give it time and it will all fall into place. It’s a long off-season, let it play out and show faith in Jason Licht. Man knows what he is doing.
March 29th, 2022 at 10:52 am
Good luck Fred
March 29th, 2022 at 11:21 am
Best to you, Fred. Sending prayers and looking forward to hearing you are on the mend.
March 29th, 2022 at 1:40 pm
“Think it is a positive that a quarterback can sit the pine for a year or two but this bubble wrap the Bucs have Trask sealed in is weird.”
I’ll agree with that. I think it’s more weird that Arians thinks Gabbert is good needless to say better then Trask. It will be interesting to see how much he plays in the preseason.
March 29th, 2022 at 5:16 pm
Best wishes, Fred. Worrying won’t help. Best of care your way!
I, too, see “Bubble wrap” on Trask. So far, we can’t see him at all. And Licht is talking WAAY too many “ums” when asked about QBs. He either doesn’t truly know or he’s hiding something. I agree with Joe on how weird it is.
March 30th, 2022 at 12:17 pm
Not worried about where Trask was drafted or what he is expected to do. Brady was a 4th string 6th round 199th overall pick his rookie year. The next year he was the backup. Do I think Trask is or will be Brady? Not a chance… but it is possible. His physical skillset isn’t worse than Brady’s was… but Brady’s physical skillset was never considered special. Point being, anything is possible. I still think Blaine Gabbert is the most qualified available player in the NFL to be our #2.