The State Of Kyle Trask Address
July 25th, 2023
The flag was waving high outside One Buc Palace and the Bucs’ commander-in-chief stepped to the media podium inside.
It was then that general manager Jason Licht grabbed his Kyle Trask flag and started waving.
“”It’s probably the same things that we’ve been saying for a long time about Kyle – the inner strength that he has, inner confidence, nothing is too big for him,” Licht said. “He’s had to sit and wait for his opportunity his entire football career, and he’s done that now. Nothing seems too big for him, once again. He’s made tremendous strides here just this spring from where he was when we first got him.
“And then with Baker [Mayfield], he’s full of energy, you know, he does all the right things, he’s working his butt off. He has a little bit of an attraction to him because of the energy that he has out there. But once again, once the bullets start flying and we start playing, you know, people, players gravitate to the player that they think is going to give them the best opportunity to win.”
“Trask has just had opportunity now. He’s out there getting a lot of reps, so with that, you’re going to improve. His footwork, I think his arm strength’s improved, his accuracy, he’s making quicker decisions. Dave [Canales] has done a great job with [QB coach] Thad [Lewis] on getting him to throw quicker, make quicker decisions and throw quicker.”
Licht added that Trask looks like a better athlete than he was after the 2021 NFL Draft, when the Bucs made him their second-r0und pick.
“Well, that was something that started last year with Kyle. We started seeing that in training camp, how he was starting to thin out and look a little bit more athletic and quicker than we saw him coming out of Florida, too. You know Bruce [Arians] and I talked a lot about that last year, too, during training camp. I think that’s something Kyle’s has done on his own but it certainly does help him with this system.”
So there you go. Trask is better in every way. Now he just has to play well, and probably significantly better than Mayfield, who hopefully is an average NFL starter.
Training camp starts tomorrow.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:03 pm
I’d like to see something more from Trask than what we’ve seen.
I imagine he must have picked up some great things from Brady if he was paying attention. Let the guy play, who cares- this team is close to a dumpster fire again anyway. Have zero confidence in Bowles.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:10 pm
The NFL is an entertainment industry. Nothing like the drama of a QB battle going into the preseason.
I hope they BOTH play so well that there is no dropoff if either goes down.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:39 pm
Trask sux. Mayfield sux less. 5 dash 12
July 25th, 2023 at 10:02 pm
Trask probably has the most upside. Mayfield has the experience. Trask learned from the GOAT. Mayfield has won a playoff game. I would say that we don’t have the worst QB room in the league
July 25th, 2023 at 10:03 pm
Jason Licht … ‘Once the bullets start flying and we start playing, you know, people, players gravitate to the player that they think is going to give them the best opportunity to win.’
Aahh yes, the bottom line.
July 25th, 2023 at 10:14 pm
I agree with clean house. This season will be a wash anyway. We might as well see what Trask has. Mayfield isn’t carrying this team anywhere and Bowles is an awful head coach. Roll with Trask and see what he has so long as he doesn’t look awful this preseason.
July 25th, 2023 at 10:24 pm
“I think his arm strength’s improved…”
That’s good to hear since his biggest issue is throwing with velocity, those rainbow slowball passes don’t work in the NFL, and that’s pretty much all he threw in college. He has shown, at times, in preseason he can throw the ball with adequate zip, but once he was under pressure, he reverted back to those cupcake passes. If he can get that figured out, without killing his accuracy, he’ll have a chance. But that is a big ask because you’re saying he needs to change his throwing technique. With that said, they’ve supposively been working on that for two years now, so maybe we finally see some results as he gets more snaps. I hope so, as I don’t want the Bucs wasting a prime 2nd pick – certainly when they could have used it on some offensive line depth, that really would have helped the Bucs last year.
July 25th, 2023 at 10:30 pm
Another blown pick
July 25th, 2023 at 10:49 pm
Next year will be another wasted year with a rookie quarterback and we all know how that’s going to work out!! The only thing this team has done is ruined the quarterbacks they drafted and Kyle Trask is another victim of the bucs organization. And next year who ever they draft at quarterback they will probably destroy his career. If I’m a betting man I would bet against the bucs developing a quarterback.
July 25th, 2023 at 10:50 pm
Looking forward to evaluating Trask throwing to real receivers like Evans and Godwin as opposed to those little midget bottom of the depth chart types last few preseason
July 25th, 2023 at 10:53 pm
Destinjohnny Says:
July 25th, 2023 at 10:30 pm
Another blown pick
2 of 3 FIRST round qb picks are wastes
Of course our first THAT year was JTS
July 25th, 2023 at 10:53 pm
@Rod Munch
Those rainbow throws you speak of is called touch.
Drew Brees didn’t have a strong arm
Phillip Rivers nope
If you want to build arm strength fine, you can.
We aren’t talking about Winston throwing it 90 from 10 yards either.
Trask has good posture with his whole lower and upper body, which leads to better accuracy long term.
Just look at Vick with pure Arm Strength.
Doesn’t work.
Can’t wait for this kid to prove you wrong like he does his entire life.
July 25th, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Mayfield is winning the “locker room” competition….it’s obvious that players view Mayfield as the leader based on quotes from guys like Lavonte David.
It’d be a massive upset if Trask takes Baker down.
Although I will say, ironically, this Bucs pre season will be more interesting than any of the pre seasons while Brady was here.
July 25th, 2023 at 11:11 pm
BillyBucco – No, touch is touch, rainbow passes are balls that hang in the air, and that’s all he threw at Florida.
Also you’re not comparing him to Drew Brees and Michael Vick? LOL! Also no one said Phillips had a weak arm until his last year when he couldn’t throw with any zip – you know, how Trask threw at Florida.
Also if he has no issues with arm strength, then why would Licht even bring it up?
Again, I’d rather see him start over Mayfield – I want to see what he can do. But you Florida fanbois make it really easy to want to see the kid fail, you’re literally that annoying.
July 25th, 2023 at 11:41 pm
Beej the funny thing is JTS is our best pass rusher
July 25th, 2023 at 11:43 pm
“So there you go. Trask is better in every way”
So would he be capable of beating out Blaine Gabbert now for 2nd string? Asking for a friend.
July 26th, 2023 at 12:08 am
So according to Licht, Trask is a better athlete, has a stronger arm, better decision maker, better accuracy, then he was as a prosect when drafted. Not to mention hes sat behind Brady for 2 years. At the end if he cant beat out Mayfield after all this improvement then that begs the question – what the hell did Licht see in him in the first place?
July 26th, 2023 at 12:09 am
Robmunch. Why does it matter if he went to UF ? That’s why I strongly believe that this fan base cares more about college football than the NFL. I think the Glazers should move the bucs out of Tampa because it’s more of a college town than NFL. I was called a FSU fan because I wanted Jamies to succeed and now I’ve been called a UF fan because I wanted Kyle Trask to succeed. This fan base care more about college than NFL.
July 26th, 2023 at 12:22 am
Focusing on the focus. Champa bay could witness not 1, not 2, but 3, count ’em 3 championship teams this year. 2020s the decade of Champa bay!!!
July 26th, 2023 at 3:09 am
Good things to hear about Trask Joe.
May the best man win!
LFG!
Go Bucs!
July 26th, 2023 at 3:39 am
One thing about Licht, and second round picks, he don’t give up on them. If Trask were to become an NFL QB this season, Licht would look like a genius. Licht would very much want to see his draft pick succeed, and I’m sure will be given every chance.
July 26th, 2023 at 6:04 am
Destinjohnny Says:
July 25th, 2023 at 11:41 pm
Beej the funny thing is JTS is our best pass rusher
^^^^^^^^
JTS didn’t lead the team in sacks. What are you talking about?
July 26th, 2023 at 6:40 am
Rod Munch Says: “Trask’s biggest issue is throwing with velocity, those rainbow slowball passes don’t work in the NFL, and that’s pretty much all he threw in college.”
More BS from a Trask-hater, a guy who once admitted he’s a huge FSU fan who “hates all Gators”.
First, Trask played in the SEC, the fastest conference in football, and had an extremely low interception rate. That doesn’t happen throwing “rainbow passes”.
Second, every Bucs coach and player who has opined on the subject has stated Trask has good velocity.
Third, even Joe’s practice notes over the years have mentioned Trask throwing with velocity.
But Jameis fan bois gonna hate, I guess.
July 26th, 2023 at 7:23 am
I have no doubt that a first-year coach – not under the gun – would go with Trask’s upside. Because Mayfield has none.
July 26th, 2023 at 8:05 am
I see the Debbie Downer club is up early this morning ! LOL ! I guess Tom Brady is thanking his lucky stars that when he was a sixth round , fourth string , part time , starting quarterback , out of Michigan , that he didn’t start his career in Tampa! I can’t imagine what you would have said about him!
July 26th, 2023 at 8:19 am
JD . I agree 💯 persent bro with your take they would have been saying let’s tank because next year will be a good quarterback class!!
July 26th, 2023 at 9:11 am
We won’t know how much Trask has improved or not until he finally gets some significant playing time .
July 26th, 2023 at 9:34 am
Wild Bill: You are absolutely right ! People should also remember it’s important to watch his , (or anybody’s ) development while playing , are their skills getting better or have they reached their zenith and they have leveled out or are they on the decline, all things being equal , the tie should go to the guy who has the greatest potential for further development.
July 26th, 2023 at 10:40 am
Following up on what JD Still, Oneilbuc, and Wild Bill said above … Does anyone really believe that Joe and the Bucs fans on this site would have given Jalen Hurts a third season after his first two bad seasons?
July 26th, 2023 at 10:46 am
Breaking News : OneilBuc says Bucs can’t develop a QB.
July 26th, 2023 at 1:01 pm
Yah JD. The Bucs made a big mistake with not giving Trask any significant playing time in pre or regular season games the past two years. In his first pre season they gave a geezer about to retire the next season most of the playing time, and some reps to the long term 3rd string guy who was never good enough to start anywhere. So Trask spent his first two years with virtually no real game time in preseason or regular season even when it was obvious Brady was no longer Brady. End result they never gave Trask a chance and had to grab a reject from 3 other teams who tended to complete a lot of passes to the opposing teams. I guess they thought Brady would last forever. He was great for 3 seasons but it was dumb not to properly train a decent backup for all the years Brady played. Overall I think the GM Licht did really well during Brady’s time with the Bucs, but he made a big mistake not developing a backup who had long term potential.
July 27th, 2023 at 3:14 am
It needs to be Trask that wins this thing or Licht needs to be on the hot seat next season. Why they are even entertaining a backup like Check-down Backup Baker instead of focusing 100% on the development of their 2nd round QB selection tells me that they are not serious about the players they are drafting.
July 27th, 2023 at 6:57 am
For anyone who thinks the Bucs should mail it in this season and just throw Kyle into the fire is missing a key point: Todd Bowles does not want to get canned.
The Bucs, with this defense, can carry the offense through a few games. We still have enough players who know what it takes to win at a high level. I just don’t see a Bucs team with Jason Licht as GM purposely tanking for a high draft pick. With our front office, this will not happen.