Bucs Players Believe Team Hands Keys To Kyle Trask
February 12th, 2023
Teammates have confidence.
If one is to believe Bucs players who hung out in Phoenix the past few days during Super Bowl Week, your Bucs starting quarterback for the 2023 season will be Kyle Trask.
Jeremy Fowler of BSPN decided to hit up various Bucs he crossed paths with in Arizons. The consensus seems to think the quarterback job is now Trask’s.
Caught up with a few Bucs players in Phoenix who believe Trask will get a shot at QB1 for Tampa. The feeling is Trask’s draft pedigree as a second-round pick, coupled with a scarcity of realistic options on the market, will get him on the field.
Reading between the lines, Bucs players seem to be saying: We don’t want Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold.
Now if the Bucs are able to land Eagles quarterback coach Brian Johnson as the next offensive coordinator, that would be fantastic for Trask. It was playing for Johnson, Trasks’ offensive coordinator at Florida, when Trask put up monster numbers in his final season in Gainesville. You just know there’s a comfort level there.
Isn’t that what you want, a young quarterback with little experience to be comfortable taking the reins of the offense?
February 12th, 2023 at 8:08 am
Sounds good to me.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:08 am
Losing with dignity! Back to the basics, Buc faithfuls. Buckle up for this ride. It will end in tears!
February 12th, 2023 at 8:08 am
It would fix SOOOO many things on your team if Trask could be the starter
February 12th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Current players are going to lean toward positive comments on a teammate….the only QB signed…..
Can you imagine a player saying…”We need to go out and get another QB”?
Nope….they just aren’t going to say that.
That being said…..I think we should go with Trask….save some money, draft pick(s)……eat some cap….get much younger and hope for the best.
(no tanking, tanking is for losers)
February 12th, 2023 at 8:13 am
The kid needs a chance to show whether he can play or not.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:13 am
I trust the coach’s decision but I trust the players even more! If the players support giving him a shot then he obviously deserves.
Joe that was a great nugget about Brian Johnson. Thanks for giving us the heads up. I suspect most are like me. I pay attention but you’re getting pretty deep into the weeds to know not just OC’s but all the QB coaches and where they have worked.
Thanks to your tip I looked up Johnson and wow, he does have a great resume especially when it comes to developing QB’s in college and the pros including Trask. And lets be honest there were a LOT of questions about Hurt until this season.
So what are the chances the Bucs can get him?
February 12th, 2023 at 8:17 am
Give him the keys and hopefully the car will start. But it would not hurt to have some jumper cables handy.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:18 am
Lol! Please no!
February 12th, 2023 at 8:21 am
This makes the most sense given our current cap situation and head coach.
If Trask plays well we found our QB of the future.
If he sucks and we lose all but 2-3 games then we get to draft a new QB in 2024 with a top 3 pick and we get to fire Todd Bowles.
Plus we get to pay off some bad debt to players like Brady, LVD, Hicks and Jones. While hopefully being able to re-sign players like Dean, SMB, Nelson, Ryan, etc.
It’s a win-win.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:25 am
He sure has a Trent Dilfer look to him IMO
February 12th, 2023 at 8:25 am
Let’s roll with trash and see.. If it doesn’t work we are in good shape to draft one of the better prospects next season
February 12th, 2023 at 8:25 am
Trasks solid final year came during covid when all the blue chips in the SEC opted out. The 2nd round pick was terrible. 4-5th round and this isn’t even a question because the kid wouldn’t be on our team any more. Time to bring in a middle tier vet for 1 year on a $15m or so contract to see if it sticks. If not we get a nice draft pick.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:27 am
There’s a lot of comments that Trask deserves a chance…..reality is he’s had two yrs of chances. Coaches and players often talk about how a young QB was flashing potential in practice. They can see it plain as day….Mahomes, Purdy, Hurts….even Cousins all showed ability behind the scenes. Nobody is talking about Trask flashing ability at practice, that’s why Arians publicly has stated the need to look behind door #2. The coaches aren’t going to throw Trask under the bus but they’re also not proclaiming any confidence in him. Not only is there chatter about any and every potential free agent QB but there’s also chatter we might draft another QB. That’s telling us everything we need to know about Trask.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:28 am
I am sorry, but Trask is the only way left.
THERE IS NO SENSIBLE OPTION.
Just go with what we have.
I seriously don’t believe our current team will improve by adding any QB outside (including Aaron Rogers)
Go Bucs!
February 12th, 2023 at 8:30 am
Honestly I meant trask not trash..
February 12th, 2023 at 8:32 am
If we can get an OC to make trask play like how he did in college then that would be amazing seeing Trask light up the standium throwing jump balls to mike evans
Side note: When I typed in Trask autocorrect changed it to trash 😅
February 12th, 2023 at 8:38 am
This makes sense from a financial standpoint. Trask is still on his rookie contract and we have big needs at other positions. Give him a shot with Gabbert at backup.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:40 am
Eagles quarterback coach Brian Johnson would be the perfect ticket. Trask all ready has that system down, No learning curve
February 12th, 2023 at 8:41 am
Great!
February 12th, 2023 at 8:42 am
Bobby M. Says:
February 12th, 2023 at 8:27 am
There’s a lot of comments that Trask deserves a chance…..reality is he’s had two yrs of chances
There was never a chance for Trask to start over Tom Brady. The offense was built around Tom Brady’s strengths and weaknesses so Trask never stood a chance. Similar to how Tom Brady would never stand a chance starting over Lamar Jackson in an offense built for running quarterbacks. We don’t know what Trask can do at the NFL level when the offense is specifically designed for him to succeed.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:51 am
There once was a team from Tampa Bay
That after a Brady retirement was in disarray
Then along came a QB named Trask and in his TD passes the fans did bask
Brady was not forgotten , but all the talk was about TD passes to Otten
February 12th, 2023 at 8:53 am
Maybe there is some sort of deal for Brian Johnson already in place but both parties are keeping it a secret as to not effect the Eagles before and in the Super Bowl ala the Monte Kiffin fiasco from a few years ago.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:56 am
I expect we re-sign Gabbert, mebbe pick up a low priced journeyman like Brisset, see who comes out on top in camp
February 12th, 2023 at 8:56 am
Youngry.
February 12th, 2023 at 8:59 am
TBBF, I agree whole heartedly. Give Trask an opportunity to show what he’s capable of. Regardless of how he does, he will show us a path forward. If he performs well, we may have a QB of the future. If he fails, we will know we need to look for a QB in the 2024 draft and should have a fairly high draft pick. And, we will no longer have to wonder what Trask could do if given the chance.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:00 am
Don’t forget to draft a QB. If Kyle can’t beat the kid then he doesn’t deserve a shot. Lesson from pops! You’re welcome.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:00 am
Following Bellingham… Stats are for losers.
Go Bucs!!!
February 12th, 2023 at 9:02 am
Draft Hendon Hooker just in case
February 12th, 2023 at 9:03 am
Yes
February 12th, 2023 at 9:05 am
And with the first overall pick of the 2024 draft The Buccaneers select……
February 12th, 2023 at 9:07 am
I agree with bringing back Gabbert and someone like Brisset or Mayfield. Have an open competition. I do think Johnson would be a great asset if we can land him.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:11 am
Don’t draft Hendon Hooker.
He is the type that will fail in Bucs uniform.
The QB we draft need to be fail-proof from get-go.
Like Andrew Luck, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, … not Winston or Mayfield bust.
Go Bucs!
February 12th, 2023 at 9:11 am
This would be the best case scenario for 2023.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:22 am
The CLAIRVOYANT know it all “experts” on this site want anyone except Trask. yeah yeah bring in a higher priced retread QB or an unknown savior in the draft. WTF. You think any of these retreads are going to lead the Bucs to the promise land? Trask probably won’t either however the Bucs should cleanup the house, balance the checkbook, save some money and be ready for much improvement going forward. Wish I could see into the future as many on here apparently can.
GO BUCS.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:31 am
Going with Kyle makes sense for us whilst we shed the weight of the CAP over the next couple of years. DR has broken that problem down along with possible solutions. The dude does excellent work. Thank you DR. Going with Trask makes sense
Joe mentioned Trask and Johnson; this generates some excitement in me for ’23. A glimmer of light, in the darkness of CAP hell, these two have a proven track record together and while some can argue that collegiate level ball isn’t the NFL, they still PROVED their mettle and together put up some impressive numbers. I think they can make it work in the NFL (Johnson is continuing to show he has what it takes). something else I like about Johnson is that he has the potential to be the coach that actually develops a winning franchise QB for us. Wouldn’t that be something? Trask and Johnson? May the Football Gods shine on us.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:39 am
I have zero evidence on Trask to provide any credible faith or lack of faith in him.
Therefore, he’s a complete unknown and I’ve no idea what expectations there are for him.
Combine that with the performance of Bowles last year, and the fact we don’t know who some of our coaches will be, the salary cap, so many FA’s.
This team is myriad of unknowns, therefore, as logic would dictate, I have zero expectations this year. I just have no idea, which is in sharp contrast to the expectations of the last 3 years.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:41 am
^^^Sorry, *zero NFL evidence…* on Trask.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:51 am
I agree with you D. Rok. Zero evidence on Trask alone, but as I pointed out in a post that, like every friggin post I make here, won’t be posted until hours after the initial posting, Trask is what we need for the CAP issues. Trask AND Johnson though, those two have a proven track record that would help tame the CAP and to me at least give me some hope.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:52 am
D-Rok, exactly. All the haters of Trask have no idea what he’s capable of on the NFL level. Neither do I. As a gator fan, I was thrilled when the Bucs drafted him because I watched all his starts. He was a very good college quarterback. But as an honest gator fan I can also say Tebow, Wuerfel and Spurrior. All great at college, not so in the NFL. But, let’s give the kid a chance. Hate him after he costs us multiple games if you want.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:05 am
I’m a long time nole fan but seems lots of the hate at Trask comes from us noles. Stop it, guys. We gave Jameis how many years? Give this kid one or two.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:06 am
I don’t want to be negative, but if the Bucs go with Trask as the starting QB it’s a telling sign that they are throwing that season to set them up for a top rated QB in the next draft. Facts are you go nowhere in this league without at least a good QB. Unless we can construct a top 5 defense next year, Trask is not going to win many games. The sad truth that we have to face. Look we are going from the greatest QB of all time, to a QB who probably wouldn’t make 90 percent of the teams in the league. I hope I’m wrong but I have seen nothing from Trask that gives me confidence he can lead this team to more than a few wins. But this is just my opinion, I could be wrong.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:06 am
Dan Pitcher is out. Staying in Cincy.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:17 am
Anyone who is convinced that Trask will fail has a problem with Themselves not Trask. It is absolutely Ludicrous to think that you Know something that Nobody does.
If you are so Clairvoyant then just send me the winning MegaMillions numbers please.
I will split it with you.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:19 am
As Joe says.
” Just another run a round QB”
Sure we all knew that Hurts was going to win a SB in his third yr.
I mean Jeeeesh we already labeled him that right?
How can he possible succeed when we already had a label on him?
February 12th, 2023 at 10:26 am
Dan Pitcher is staying with Bengals. I suspect Bucs will name their OC early this coming week.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:31 am
Baker Mayfield over drafting a qb, OK….
BUT Sam Darnold?…. NOPE!
February 12th, 2023 at 10:31 am
Trask can compete and excel in the SEC-Trask can compete and do OK in the NFL.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:35 am
Sign somebody for cheap (Mike White, Heinicke, Cooper Rush?), draft somebody later (Max Duggan, Grayson McCall?) and let them battle it out. I wouldn’t hand the job to Trask, his draft spot means nothing now, just as it doesn’t matter for the guys mentioned in this article (Mayfield 1st overall, Darnold 3rd overall).
February 12th, 2023 at 10:40 am
@ Scotty/A Bucs fan
“Dan Pitcher staying in Natti”
That is a bummer he was high on my list…
But this could mean the Bucs have already made their choice and are waiting until after the SB to announce it.
Hopefully this means Brian Johnson (Eagles QB coach) is going to be the next OC In Tampa.
Solid choice and is familiar with Trask and Trask is familiar with Johnson and his offense already.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:43 am
How in the world do you make the leap from a handful of players who “believe Trask will get a shot at QB1 for Tampa” to not only him being the starter but to say that it also means that those players “don’t want Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold”?
Evel Knievel never tried to make a jump that far!
February 12th, 2023 at 10:44 am
Trask deserves to at least get a chance to compete. Need to see him with the starters and with a new OC. Bowles needs to keep his grubby hands off the offense because his suspect defense is plenty to keep him busy.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:47 am
We could spend a 6 or a 7 on Stetson Bennett. Guy had a bizarre drunk-in-public arrest, pulled out of the Senior Bowl , didn’t declare for the draft. He’s graduated from GA, 25 years old, isn’t know that he even WANTS to try pro football. Mebbe just a 7. Once in a while a pick like that gives you a Tom Brady….or a Brock Purdy
February 12th, 2023 at 10:50 am
It’s time to find out if Trask is the person for the starting quarterback, The best and fair way to find this out is for him to get to play as and with the starters.It may take some time for him to become the efficient player he was in college but they need to play him to be sure. The BUCS must put a good offensive line on the field for whoever is the starter.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:50 am
Pitcher from Bengals is out….decided to stay in Cincy where his career trajectory will still point up.
February 12th, 2023 at 10:54 am
Well . . . If we go with Trask, there will be no deep outpasses in the game plan, the guy just can’t throw them.
February 12th, 2023 at 11:05 am
A lot of the commentary has been that Trask, if he wins the starting job, will either succeed or rail in 2023, and anything less than success sends him out of the NFL. People seem to forget easily that very few quarterbacks come out of college, in their first year as a starter (whether delayed by one or two years) and lights it up immediately. Including the GOAT. Sure, he quarterbacked a winning team his first season as a starter, but his stats were mediocre compared to his performances years later, and it took him 8 seasons to reach his peak performance. 2,834 yards passing his first season as starter. His team won a ring that first year because he was surrounded with great talent both offense and defense. Joe Burrow’s first season as starter he passed for 2,688 yards.
If Trask plays terrible as a starter, then yeah, he gets the hook. But don’t expect him to pass for 5,000 yards in 2023. If he passes for half that, and gets the team competitive offensively, say scoring 24 points or more per game – better that the GOAT did his last season – and doesn’t throw 15+ picks, then he may in fact develop into a pretty good quarterback.
February 12th, 2023 at 11:06 am
@Marine Buc – Agreed. I hope it’s Brian Johnson too.
February 12th, 2023 at 11:10 am
I realize it would be a promotion for Brian Johnson to leave Philly, but it would be career suicide to join Bowels’ lame duck staff. He’s as good as gone after 2023. I’m all for seeing what Trask can do and cleaning up the cap. Either Trask is the answer, or we should be in prime position to take a very talented QB at or near the top of the draft board in 2024.
February 12th, 2023 at 11:22 am
Brian Johnson/Trask sounds like a good plan to me.
February 12th, 2023 at 11:24 am
Go with Trask
Not because he will be good. He probably won’t
It’s because the other options aren’t good. What is the advantage of paying up for an okay QB? What does that get us? Mediocrity
Play Trask. 90% he isn’t a top tier starter and then you pick the QB of the future next year.
That is a LOT better than getting Mayfields mediocrity, mediocre 2023, and a mid draft pick.
February 12th, 2023 at 11:32 am
Signing Mayfield or Jimmy G would cost us the ability to re-sign LD or similar, I don’t see the upside there
February 12th, 2023 at 11:36 am
@ Matt
I agree. Wasting $20M-$40M we don’t have just to sign a mediocre QB and win 5-6 games is as dumb as it gets…
Plus – it would guarantee that we won’t be able to re-sign players like Dean, SMB and Nelson.
We just need to take a big ol bite of the poo-poo sammich this next season and move on…
February 12th, 2023 at 11:48 am
It seems that everyone complaining about Trask also complains how Licht has us so far over the cap, and that same group wants to sign a FA QB.
doesn’t add up to want all 3.
I say roll with Trask which helps clean up the cap. It is win/win… if we end up having a bad season, the cap is clean and we can move forward with another QB…
IF Trask can ball out, then what do you know, he may be the first drafted QB to get a 2nd contract. #IRONY
February 12th, 2023 at 11:49 am
2nd round pick who has had time to study, relax, and learn. Batter up my man. Time to see what you either have or do not have. Throw Trask into the Frey with the wolves. Like that movie, The Grey. Good luck.
February 12th, 2023 at 11:53 am
Glazers already have their scapegoat and are working the next ticket campaign…”The Flags are Rising…” Alas, they said they are not “building” so we can’t say that. But they are doing “something” (yeah, it’s building) around Trask. They just can’t say that because fans immediately quit spending if there is nothing to look truly forward to the coming year.
They will be mediocre to bad in 2023 those…who didn’t cancel their season tix payments early enough last year and are stuck for this year. This is a planned “down year” for the Glazers. Call it the year after Brady. They saw this coming, and it is next year the truly empty stadiums start without some splash. The last one will be hard to top.
I’m all for giving Trask a shot if the future of the position sits vacant anyway.
February 12th, 2023 at 12:04 pm
Too many holes including the cap hole that a spendy FA won’t fix.
Play Trask.
February 12th, 2023 at 12:05 pm
Trask might also get Bowles an extra year.
February 12th, 2023 at 12:09 pm
Good bad, or indifferent the Bucs are kicking off a new phase already.Consider we really don’t know Trask enough to write him off as NOT even a future BACKUP QB, as well as starter. Sure, maybe he surprises all like Brady and Romo…that would be great. But the Bucs I think (likely) know the future franchise QB is not on the roster and likely will not be in 2023 and maybe 2024 or later. So they can work on the quality back-up and future cap space now. Even if they don’t call him a bridge QB, that’s probably a good assumption he is. Keep in mind the timeline of drafting Freeman, and Freeman no long being starter. Then drafting Winston, and the timeline to wear Winston was no longer a starter. We are talking starting a 3 year or longer ordeal. May not be great ride…but hopefully I’m wrong.
February 12th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
Whatever, another UF QB destined to fail. I don’t see the team getting better next year with the Cap, the purge of older players, and the lack of talent on both lines. Don’t think it matters much who starts at QB.
February 12th, 2023 at 12:26 pm
@ Cobra
Agreed. If Trask is bad and Bowels’ defense is top ten. There is a chance he gets another season with a better QB and perhaps another new OC…
February 12th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Wokeizdunn Says: “The Bucs I think (likely) know the future franchise QB is not on the roster.”
You have zero factual basis for saying that.
February 12th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
Buc4evr Says: “Whatever, another UF QB destined to fail.”
You are supremely ignorant. There are many many colleges that never produced a great NFL quarterback, until one day did: Brett Farvre, Ben Rothlisberger, Kurt Warner, etc.
February 12th, 2023 at 12:46 pm
Roll with Trask. Sign a non threatening vet backup. Draft a QB to develop.
February 12th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
We are close to breaking the sound barrier, high speed back to the lost decade of Bucs football again😞!
February 12th, 2023 at 1:27 pm
Seeing lots of comments about ‘Use 2023 to get right with the CAP’. I wish it were as simple just ‘Accept a horrific year and all will be right with the world’. Sorry, but the world has different ideas.
If we ‘don’t do anything’ we’ll be right where we are right now … $55.7 mil OVER the salary CAP with just 36 players from last season under contract. NOT re-signing LVD, Hicks & Gholston for instance leaves us WORSE OFF than we are right now because (1) we owe the 3 of them $14.2 mil in ‘voided contracts’; (2) we’d STILL need to pay for their 3 replacements who are at least as good as they are (meaning a LOT more $$$ just for those 3); (3) we’d lose their on-the-field leadership.
It MIGHT be less expensive to re-sign the 3 of them to very team-friendly contracts (IF they’re willing). All depends on what they’re willing to play for. We can’t even begin to fill all of our holes via the 2023 draft.
February 12th, 2023 at 1:35 pm
He was a monster in his junior year in the SEC too.
February 12th, 2023 at 1:36 pm
Ryan Says:
February 12th, 2023 at 8:25 am
Trasks solid final year came during covid when all the blue chips in the SEC opted out.
Who were the blue chips that opted out?
Because blue chip cornerbacks (1st and 2nd rounders) that Trask went up against that year included:
Jaycee Horn – SC – 38 points.
Eric Stokes and Tysome Campbell – GA – 44 points.
Kelvin Joseph – KY – 34 points.
Alonte Taylor – TN – 31 points.
Patrick Surtain – AL – 46 points.
I am not certainly but I believe that 2022 number 3 overall pick, Derek Stingley Jr did not play against Florida that 2020 game.
How many other NFL quarterbacks can you say went against that many 1st and 2nd rounders in their final college season.
February 12th, 2023 at 1:42 pm
Geno, this happened in the SEC.
It’s not like the other DBs he was playing against were stiffs with no chances of getting into the NFL.
February 12th, 2023 at 2:03 pm
DR we have 54 guys under contract or money owed according to Spotrac for the 2023 season and are 55.7 million over the cap for the top 51.
We basically have to restructure all of the guys contracts that we recently gave new contracts to.
Jensen, Godwin, Vea, Barrett, Davis, Lenny, and Gage.
We have to cut Donovan Smith, Succop, and Brate.
But I get different than your 36 guys.
I get some 47 guys that the Bucs will still have control of although certainly a bunch are no name guys.
Chris Godwin
Mike Evans
Shaquil Barrett
Carlton Davis
Vita Vea
Ryan Jensen
Russell Gage
Devin White
Shaq Mason
Leonard Fournette
Tristan Wirfs
Antoine Winfield Jr.
Joe Tryon
William Gholston
Logan Hall
Kyle Trask
Ke’Shawn Vaughn
Luke Goedeke
Robert Hainsey
Zach Triner
Rachaad White
Cade Otton
Jake Camarda
Anthony Chesley
Patrick Laird
K.J. Britt
Zyon McCollum
Dominique Dafney
Justin Skule
David Wells
Ko Kieft
Kaylon Geiger
Grant Hermanns
John Molchon
J.J. Russell
Deven Thompkins
Nolan Turner
Jake Verity
Brandon Walton
Dylan Cook
Don Gardner
Mike Greene
Duron Lowe
Michael Niese
Willington Prevlion
Hamilcar Rashed
Charles Snowden
February 12th, 2023 at 2:05 pm
tampabuscsbro Says:
February 12th, 2023 at 1:42 pm
So, you agree with me. That Ryan’s statement that Trask did not play against any good players in 2020 is just not true.
February 12th, 2023 at 2:13 pm
Yeah entirely geno,
I mean didn’t mac jones have bama but people bowed down to him
Now he is essentially an average QB like Alex Smith.
February 12th, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Looks like the Eagles OC his going to get the Colts gig so thats more than likely rule out Brian Johnson.
February 12th, 2023 at 2:47 pm
@ geno
The 36 players DR is referencing are players who were on last years 53 man roster…
You are adding all the practice squads and camp bodies – players who were signed to cheap one year deals after the season ended.
The Bucs really only have @ 36 players from last years 53 man roster currently under contract.
There could be a few of the “camp bodies” who make the final cut but it is pretty rare.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:03 pm
Geno711 … ‘we have 54 guys under contract or money owed according to Spotrac for the 2023 season and are 55.7 million over the cap for the top 51′.
Yes we have 54 guys currently under contract, of which 5 (Brady, Hicks, LVD, Gholston & Julio) are actually FAs (or retired) who we owe money $52.7 mil to based on voided contracts (leaves 49 on the CURRENT roster). Of those however, only 36 were on the team at the end of the 2022 season (the other 13 were never on the team & are almost surely PS material., ie, historically very few if any of those will make the Sep roster, but that’s not a given I admit; several may given our salary CAP position). That’s where my 36 came from.
In terms of releasing Succop & Brate … YES. That’d save $5.7 mil on the CAP hit (although we’ll have to replace both of them on the roster because we just opened up 2 more holes, and that’ll cost $$$).
In terms of releasing The Donnie … NOT SO FAST. He carries a CAP hit of $17.9 mil now & a Dead CAP of $8.0 mil. So we can save roughly $10 mil by releasing him, BUT … then we have to replace him. Yes there’s the option of sliding Wirfs over & putting Goedeke at RT as some have suggested, but that’s a major decision that only the coaches know the answer to. And besides, Smith’s situation last year still has me perplexed (injuries, personal issue, etc). Again, that’s up to the coaches to decide if Donnie’s a part of the Bucs’ plan going forward.
I’m not sure what you meant Geno by we ‘have to restructure all of the guys contracts that we recently gave new contracts to’. Are you talking about last season’s new contracts to Godwin, etc or the new contract to those no-name players who we just gave contracts to? If it’s the former, I’m not sure we should restructure (and thus extend) Vea’s contract. Or White’s. Or Fournette’s. Or even Davis’ contract. Those were all new last year. I’d rather see them all ‘prove it’ this year, because their performance last year didn’t impress me all that much in terms of them being key cogs in the wheel.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:06 pm
Marine Buc … You’re obviously a lot faster than I am. Ya I know, it’s actually that I’m just a lot more verbose. Brevity was never my strong suit, unfortunately.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:16 pm
” 2,834 yards passing his first season as starter. ”
Um that was his first 8 games as a starter EVER!
“If Trask plays terrible as a starter, then yeah, he gets the hook. But don’t expect him to pass for 5,000 yards in 2023”
Yeah because he only passed for 4,263 yards in his Senior yr of 12 games.
Some people just love to spew sh!t.
Idgits!
February 12th, 2023 at 3:29 pm
I also remember hearing that he’s not a great practice player but once on the field he shines.
If Brian Johnson will come to help Trask.
I think that is our best risk/reward…it either works or we get a high draft pick.
No reason to keep going 8-10 or 8-9
We will be stuck in that middle.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:31 pm
He’s the only QB on the roster, so of course players are going to say roll with him. When is the last time a player has ever said, no, that QB sucks, we need someone else? It literally never happens. This is why I find player interviews so incredibly boring, since you always know what they’re going to say, and you know it’s never going to be anything interesting.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
Duane all good points. On a side note, I think Pitcher is holding out to apply for the head coaching job in Tampa next year. Or at a minimum the OC under a more secure head coach for Tampa next year.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:33 pm
@ DR
LOL.
Sorry man. I’m having withdrawals… Any chance to talk football with real fans I am going to comment.
I appreciate your more detailed takes.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
I don’t disagree with either of you (DR or Marine Buc) and your comments are correct in a better sense than mine. It is just the notion that we don’t have enough guys to fill out the roster. We do.
If we want to tank for 2024, it would be pretty easy to do.
End of the roster guys are just that. JAG.
Tyler Johnson, Darden, Brate, Humphrey, Perriman, Minter, Miller, Andrew Adams, Cockrell, The cologne guy, etc. They can be replaced.
I have been probably more accepting of Donnie than many on this site. It is just that he was a clearly a problem this year and at his high a salary, he should be a cut casualty.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Bucs winning super bowl coincides with the stock market
February 12th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
Johnson may get an offer as the next OC for the Eagles. Hopefully we can get him.
February 12th, 2023 at 3:58 pm
@ geno
I’m like 50/50 on Donnie Smith. He was really bad last season.
Replacing him is the problem.
No easy answers this season.
February 12th, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Works for me. And if it works out for them then there will be a few people here eating crow. We won’t know until we try.
February 12th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
I think he will start. But fans, just don’t get all cranked up halfway through the season if things look bleak and he doesn’t look like a franchise QB. You will probably get your wish. But that doesn’t mean it won’t turn out the way we want.
February 12th, 2023 at 5:06 pm
Whether you believe in him or not, and from what I’ve seen, I do not, they need to start him this year. They’re not bringing anyone in that is better than Brady and putting lesser talent around him and winning anything. So what is the point of wasting money for that?
Time to clean the books, cut some salaries, cut some players, start Trask and see what you got. The way I see it, they have a two-year window to clean up and get back in the thick of it… If they do it, right.
It all starts with QB. Got to trust the draft scouts, if they have a quarterback in the draft they like and they’re not totally sold on Trask, take him. They also need to draft O line and D line and a young fast quick receiver
February 12th, 2023 at 6:30 pm
I have no doubt that Trask will get his shot.
This regime, in its current trajectory, wants to save cash and has emphasized previous investments —in-house JAGs, developmental rookies who aren’t ready,but shoved out to starting roles—-for the past year. Why shouldn’t this include Trask, their biggest investment.
They have also invested in Bowles. He will have everything he wants.
That’s about it for the season ahead.
There is likely to be hedging, in terms of them signing a bridge QB or backup.
Gabbert may be it, if familiarity and boredom win out.
February 12th, 2023 at 9:39 pm
Trask will beat any qb they bring except Aaron Roger.
February 13th, 2023 at 2:11 am
I don’t think Trask will easily beat out anyone. I predict that unless they sign a legit NFL starting QB with star quality, which I doubt they will do, and/or land some real OC who can revamp the offense, we could see three QBs competing aka struggling to be the #1 when the season starts. Trask, the backup (Gabbert?) and/or the new veteran bridge/other backup. In other words, a continuation of the slogging.
February 15th, 2023 at 1:17 am
I genuinely hope Trask is the starter and wins some games for us. But realistically you can take what any player, coach or talking head says about our beloved Bucs this time of year and !@#$ can it! It means absolutely nothing!
February 17th, 2023 at 8:01 pm
I don’t see any ringing endorsements. Because of his draft status and scarcity option, does that sound like ringing endorsements? Did they mention anything specific that they like about Trask. No way he should be handed the keys. I rather have Gabbert
February 18th, 2023 at 7:38 am
Get gardener mineshiew