NFL.com: Bucs Can’t Be Serious With Kyler Traskfield
May 18th, 2023
Folks aren’t buying the sell.
Let Joe remind you the author of the article Joe is referencing here is an NFL league employee.
It is fair to suggest that Marc Sessler of NFL.com is no fan of Baker Mayfield. And probably not Kyle Trask, either. Sessler, who’s a good dude, is fed up with the Bucs trying to sell Kyler Traskfield as the answer to fill the void left by retired Tom Brady.
The Bucs had (or have) better options, he believes, like trading for Matt Stafford or Ryan Tannehill (!).
Sessler is so skeptical of Traskfield saving the Bucs, he seems to think the Bucs defense may get the idea the team isn’t trying to win.
Typing a story of one glaring need for each NFC team, Sessler says what the Bucs need is “honesty” at quarterback.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Top priority: Honesty under centerTampa’s busy pitching Baker Mayfield vs. Kyle Trask as a viable quarterback competition in a post-Tom Brady universe. Maybe Trask can play. Maybe there’s more to Baker’s career than a hot-and-cold quarterback three teams have passed on. Bruce Arians adores Mayfield. The former coach openly lobbied for the Browns job in 2018 for the chance to guide the quarterback’s career. Now an in-house Tampa consultant, Arians has his guy, but the Bucs must advance with eyes wide open. There’s talent on this roster inside a winnable division. If it’s clear you don’t have a quarterback in camp, swinging a trade for Stafford, Tannehill or fill-in-the-blank sends a statement to the team: We’re not mailing this in.
First, the Bucs are in salary cap hell. They don’t have the Team Glazer loot to get a quarterback with better name recognition (is Tannehill really a better quarterback than Mayfield, seriously?).
Joe gets what the Bucs are selling in Mayfield. He showed signs of life last year with the Rams in an offense similar to what Dave Canales wants to run. John Harbaugh and Sean McVay wanted Mayfield. Did those two guys all of a sudden become stupid?
If Mayfield bounces back, the Bucs have their quarterback for the next few years. If not, eh, they’ll draft one next spring.
Now if Sessler wanted to be annoyed by something in Tampa, he should have cited the running back position. The non-activity there sure seems very odd, especially when last month’s draft was loaded with backs.
The Bucs had the worst rushing attack in the league last year. And what did they do to address that and improve? They got a guy who didn’t even run for 250 yards last season.
Joe does not believe the Bucs are tanking. As Sessler pointed out, there is talent.
Now if the Bucs start out terribly and dudes start playing for themselves and fans start hollering for Todd Bowles’ head, then it will be very interesting to see how the defense responds.
Knowing how most of the defenders respect and like Bowles, it’s difficult for Joe to believe they would throw the towel in on their coach if things start going south.
May 18th, 2023 at 3:57 am
Dave Canales said the Bucs QB needs to be a “point guard”, and Mayfield reminds me of an old Michigan State point guard, Scott Skiles.
May 18th, 2023 at 5:45 am
Bucs are going to be a running offense this year, an average mediocre QB which Baker appears to be at this point can get the job done as long as he does not throw interceptions.
May 18th, 2023 at 6:54 am
Is this website a daily dose of quotes from “experts” who predicted the Bucs in the Super Bowl last season?
May 18th, 2023 at 6:54 am
Wirfs aside – Last year’s Oline was a mess. Donnie played badly. Leverette and Hainsey both with little experience started the majority of games. Shaq Mason was decent at pass protecting but not good at run blocking.
Our entire OLine is revamped this year. Every spot will have a new starter and every one of those changes (save for RT obviously) is likely to be an upgrade.
LT – Smith out – Wirfs in – instant upgrade!
LG – Feiler at 330 lbs the front runner – his experience will be helpful to Wirfs
C – Jensen – ready to rumble. Huge upgrade from last year.
RG – Mauch -who doesn’t love a toothless Lineman? Upgrade for run game.
RT – Goedeke – Can’t upgrade from Wirfs but look for this kid to hold his own.
It all starts up front. Earl Campbell would have struggled to succeed behind last years OLine.
Bucs will have a much better OLine and system for gaining yards on the ground in 2023 compared to 2022.
Raschaad White is a VERY good RB. Perhaps borderline great – and he’s gonna prove it in this – his 2nd year running behind a vastly improved OLine.
May 18th, 2023 at 6:56 am
At the beginning of last season ALL the “experts” had written off Jalen Hurts as a bust. Joe, why don’t you dig up those predictions for us?
May 18th, 2023 at 7:01 am
I agree Pickgrin.
It takes more than looking at stats to see.
They didn’t upgrade the RB room because they know that.
May 18th, 2023 at 7:21 am
Pickgrin
You beat me to it…..I have a great deal of confidence in Licht when it comes to oline……this new oline should be much better at run blocking and it will not need to be worried about protecting a 45 year old QB….
Look for the offense to be better than last year…..and I suspect the defense will also be better.
Where the question comes is….how much better will the other teams in the division be?……probably a lot better also…….
May 18th, 2023 at 7:30 am
The question shouldn’t be who will start at QB for the Bucs, but who will finish at QB for the Bucs? Whether by injury, or bad play by whoever starts both QB’s are probably going to start, and play games this year. Hopefully one rises, or better yet both. Good chance we’re also looking for a new QB next year.
May 18th, 2023 at 7:42 am
The only people who matter when it comes to the Bucs quarterback roster are the GM and his staff, and the coaches.
Opinions are just like azz holes – everybody’s got one, and they all stink.
May 18th, 2023 at 7:50 am
Focus, intensity, and belief. These are the qualities that the Bucs have, these are the qualities that have more than the other 31 teams, these are the qualities that our fans recognize in our team and share as well. I share the same optimism as pickgrin, TBbucfan, and most Buc fans have about our chances of winning it all and the full confidence that Trask is the man that will lead the Bucs. I am sure that they will be a few haters that will post negative garbage. Ignore the lies that they post.Only a fool and a fake fan would see it different.
May 18th, 2023 at 8:01 am
Trading for Stafford or Tannehill? What’s the color of the sky in this guy’s world?
May 18th, 2023 at 8:05 am
“than a hot-and-cold quarterback three teams have passed on”
Not really. Cleveland traded for Deshaun Watson it’s not like they cut Baker. Watson was viewed at the time as like a top 5 QB.
Then he went to Carolina not by choice, and did not want to be in Carolina and requested to be moved.
His 3rd team did want him back (McVay).
May 18th, 2023 at 8:17 am
Sure I would love to have Stafford. Devin White, straight up trade. Otherwise this team is stuck in salary cap hell this season. If this team can get the run game going, throw in a lot of rpo and trick plays, maybe the O can score points?
I am counting on Canales to come up with innovative play calling and using the QB within their abilities. Not a Leftwurst offensive scheme.
May 18th, 2023 at 8:22 am
Joe doesn’t care about the Eagles.
May 18th, 2023 at 8:49 am
Baker running the RPO lol.
Trask is a lock
May 18th, 2023 at 9:40 am
January 2024: 6 wins, Bowles gone. Mayfield done. Trask bust. Drafting top 10. Vegas isn’t stupid. If you don’t believe me, go back to the schedule last year and look at what we would have won without Brady. That total is 5.
May 18th, 2023 at 9:48 am
Well, with Brady the Bucs swam or sank (mostly sank )last season depending on their qb played. This season they hopefully can get a real running game which makes them much less dependent on the pass and therefore less dependent on their qb. Both Trask and Baker can hand off just fine. And if the run game clicks both qbs could likely do an adequate job.
May 18th, 2023 at 9:57 am
“Baker running the RPO lol.”
We ran RPOs with Tom Brady, as a matter of fact an RPO was the call for that pick Tom threw against Dallas in the playoffs
May 18th, 2023 at 10:56 am
The problem the media pundits don’t understand is the following.
This offense last year was putrid. Scheme, blocking woes and apathy. The fact that the defense held so long till it came apart toward the end against better competition is amazing.
The wheels could have came off a lot sooner for this team without the defense carrying the load. It was a lot worse for another team with putrid offense and stellar defense (2022 Denver Broncos).
Defense this year has younger and faster player for the late season push. And to help with rotation and depth. Bucs might have a pass rush now with Diaby, Kancey and Ramirez. Vea is going back to playing most of his snaps at NT instead of 3 tech
Offense will be more balanced and have easier reads for the QB to make to move the chains.
Bucs do not need a hero at QB when you have Evans, Godwin, Gage, Otton, and White on offense. Average QB play is more than good enough with what the Bucs have.
I expect to see White have a big year behind a nastier OL and a zone blocking sheme which is tailored to White’s one cut, run to daylight running style.
May 18th, 2023 at 11:24 am
Lol 😂😂 Just like the media said last year when Jimmy G went down the 49ers wasn’t going to the playoffs with Brock Purdiy last year!!! Lol 😂😂😂 the media is always right because their experts right??
May 18th, 2023 at 12:11 pm
I will get a good laugh each and every time someone tries to sell the bunk-laden narrative that Mayfield was in any way shape or form a good QB with the Rams last year.
170 yards, less than a touchdown and half a pick per game does not a viable starting QB make.
May 18th, 2023 at 12:14 pm
And as for the “this team isn’t tanking it has too much talent” narrative, have you honestly forgotten that this team went 5-11, 5-11 and 7-9 with a good portion of the same talent on the roster? Not having a QB is a team killer in this league. Plain and simple.
May 18th, 2023 at 1:06 pm
Maybe traskfield works out. If not, hello Caleb.
May 18th, 2023 at 2:15 pm
It’s so, um, polarizing to figure out which Joe you’re getting the take from. This Joe realizes Baker is worth the risk when you’re paying down the CC debt, and if it doesn’t work out, Caleb or Drake. The other Joe can’t seem to wrap his head around that logic (yet this is all presented as one voice. Just a little strange, that’s all).
May 18th, 2023 at 2:28 pm
I hope Clancy is the guy they hope he is. I think Licht did a really good job in draft, but I would have grabbed Levis at 19. Only because I think he has the goods. Herndon may be a better pick a little later. I think those 2 are too good to pass up. I believe both of their ceilings are much higher than Baker Mayfield. If Trask was as good as they are hyping, they wouldn’t have slid into Mayfield’s dm’s in the first place. May turnout to be a missed op on a really good QB.
May 18th, 2023 at 4:52 pm
As Bucs fans it’s our duty to support Baker or Kyle or whoever is starting. No bad mouthing. Just cheer him on. Give him good vibes! Buy him a beeer! All these half-empty sports writers don’t know s#it from shinola. Hey man, the glass is half full and rising. Baker can really help the Bucs win the division, and probably at least one playoff game, maybe more. The burden is on Bowles, the defensive guru. Give the Bucs a great defense, and the great defensecwill
May 18th, 2023 at 4:54 pm
… and the great defense will give the Bucs a trophy … no matter who is at QB, Trent Dilfer or Baker Mayfield. Go Bucs!
May 19th, 2023 at 5:49 am
Man the NFL network sure has gone downhill.
Joe a good running game has two parts one is the O line the other is what you keep bringing up.
We don’t know what kind of running backs we have because last year we had a crap O line and Leftnut! He insisted on running behind LT and the worst run blocking LT I have ever seen! Dude spent all season just leaning on people (slowly with no pad level at all)
For the Bucs that is saying something because we have had some real losers there. Barry Sanders would look like crap behind what we put out there last season.
The Bucs personnel people obviously disagree with you on the need for a running back or at least the priority of need. I don’t know how good R White will/can be. Nobody else does either…yet
🙂