“The Response Was, ‘Hey, What About Kyle Trask?'”
February 26th, 2023
Kyle Trask
A national NFL insider served up context for the claim that Bucs officials believe Kyle Trask is the best quarterback in the NFC South.
Jeff Darlington of ESPN created a stir last week with his report on Trask. He was back on NFL Live later in the week to explain his conversation with powerful types at One Buc Palace.
“When I started reaching out people this offseason within the organization, I kind of was like, ‘Hey, what about Jimmy G? Hey, what about,’ you know, just like going down the list. And the response was actually like, ‘Hey, like what about Kyle Trask?’ from their end. ‘We believe that he’s actually the best quarterback in the division,” Darlington explained.
“I think they are kind of serious about this. And maybe not from the standpoint that they’re viewing Kyle Trask as being the long-term franchise guy. I don’t think that they’re trying to go that far in their statements.”
Well, Joe knows the Bucs sure hope Trask is the “long-term franchise guy.” The next Mike Glennon is not what anyone wants to watch, but it could play into what former NFL cornerback Ryan Clark said on the same segment with Darlington.
Clark opened his Trask commentary with “Caleb Williams sweepstakes, here we come,” referring to the Southern Cal quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy and is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
In Clark’s mind, roll with Trask and give him a short leash. If he doesn’t look like a franchise quarterback in a hurry, then find a new starter next year.
Joe totally gets it, but that’s also a brutal spot for Trask considering the Bucs will be running a brand new offense and the guy has yet to play half a game.
February 26th, 2023 at 7:51 pm
He’s BA’s guy totally different qb type for a totally different system. They need someone with at least moderate mobility.
February 26th, 2023 at 7:51 pm
I’m skeptical about Trask, but I’m hoping the new Bucs offense makes some noise. I’m not interested in tanking and I’m not pulling for losses to make sure Bowles is fired. I wanna see a younger team that fights and scrapes and finds its way in this new offense. Trask’s success is Bucs’ success.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Best QB in the division… if if true, that’s FOR NOW… free agency hasn’t even started yet.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:16 pm
So, in my mind, the biggest question is:
OK, so the Bucs give Trask his shot. But how much of a shot? 3 games? 5? 2 seasons? It’s obvious what will happen if Trask is good/decent, but if he isn’t that good, or good enough? Will the Bucs give him a full year if after 5 games he “sucks?”
So many questions, and because of these inherent questions, it seems obvious the Bucs would be foolish to NOT pursue a veteran QB, just in case.
Just my 2 cents.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:16 pm
I think that’s exactly what they need to do and unfortunately for, they need to do it while gathering draft picks and getting rid of some vets to clear their salary cap situation.
Even with all that, the division sucks enough that they can compete for it. And there are still weapons in the O for Trask. Whether he has 10 wins or 4 wins, they will be able to tell if Trask is the guy or not.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:22 pm
Trask would be under pressure so let’s see how he handles it.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:24 pm
They need to draft a QB (Hooker?)in some round to battle Trask for starter. Unless there is a total 180, Trask and his terrible slow motion will break 33 against a starting defense. If they do decide to go with Trask, they do need to draft Bijan because is also amazing at run after catch with really good hands.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:28 pm
Kendon Hooker
February 26th, 2023 at 8:33 pm
‘We believe that he’s actually the best quarterback in the division’
With Andy Dalton a free agent, I can see how they can believe Trask as better than Darnold, Ridder and Winston!
February 26th, 2023 at 8:37 pm
Set up for failure.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:50 pm
Short leash. Why ??? Trask will need the entire season to be fairly evaluated. If he is good then sign him up with multi deal large contract if not then you can keep, trade or cut him in 2024.
February 26th, 2023 at 8:56 pm
Not surprised the Bucs are high on Trask. As his NFL scouting report says:
“TRASK CLEARLY HAS THE ARM STRENGTH. CAN DELIVER DEEP THROWS WITH OUTSTANDING TOUCH. ARM STRENGTH TO WHIP FIELD-SIDE DEEP OUTS WITH NO ISSUES. CAN ATTACK ONE-ON-ONES AND PLACE DEEP THROW WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.
PROTOTYPICAL SIZE TO STAND TALL AND FIRE FROM THE POCKET. ACCURATE EVEN WHEN FEET ARE NOT SET. FIRST FBS QUARTERBACK IN 15 YEARS TO POST 3 OR MORE TD PASSES IN 9 CONSECUTIVE GAMES.”
😛
February 26th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
Who will be the Saints QB this season. JW is apparently out the door.
Meanwhile…Caleb Schmeleb! The bust rate for 1st round QB’s is 40%!!!!
Translation…Caleb or ANY other QB will have a 50-50 shot at being successful.
So yeah that makes a lot of sense for the Bucs to shat on this season for the opportunity to grab a slightly better than 50-50 shot at the brass ring!*snark font off*
February 26th, 2023 at 9:05 pm
Trask is why TB-12 retired.
February 26th, 2023 at 9:22 pm
Trask is so good he couldn’t beat out Gabbert for the backup QB spot. I hope there right, but we all know about hope don’t we.
February 26th, 2023 at 9:26 pm
@ButtBoy only remembers the scouting reports that complimented his boyfriend.
Most scouting reports I read said his physical traits were average, and even his arm strength wasn’t great.
I’m pulling for Trask if he’s the starter. I’m also pulling for Hendon Hooker.
February 26th, 2023 at 9:30 pm
Trask, bring in Drew Locke, maybe one more vet, and a mid to late round rookie. Let them sort it out in camp.
February 26th, 2023 at 9:44 pm
Wouldnt it just surprise everyone if Jason Licht traded most of this year’s picks to get the first pick of the draft…
February 26th, 2023 at 9:50 pm
sascrotch rejects the NFL.Com scouting report on Trask! Instead he accepts the opinion of one of the biggest cheerleaders for Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston! LMAO!
February 26th, 2023 at 9:51 pm
stpetebucfan Says:
February 26th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
Well, if the bust rate is 40%, technically that translates to 60-40 shot at being successful, if you’re assuming that it’s binary (success vs. bust).
February 26th, 2023 at 9:54 pm
BucBoy Says:
February 26th, 2023 at 9:50 pm
Nope, I don’t accept JBF assessments, dumbass. I hated Manziel and Jameis.
I read NFL.com scouting reports. I’m also capable of reading reports from other sources.
Also from the nfl.com synopsis:
Dumbass.
February 26th, 2023 at 9:57 pm
Son of Trask has been repeating the same things and doing the same tings every time Trask comes up. That’s what gives him away. Beany Surfer Boy. We all understand your love. He must have blown a kiss to the crowd after a game and you thought it was to you.
February 26th, 2023 at 9:58 pm
^things
February 26th, 2023 at 10:00 pm
@ButtBoy,
another source…
February 26th, 2023 at 10:17 pm
“Joe totally gets it, but that’s also a brutal spot for Trask considering the Bucs will be running a brand new offense and the guy has yet to play half a game.
SB gets it too but he had to be thrown in the fire in the SEC too and I would find it hard to believe than Anyone could find a QB that has a better first 20 game resume from their first start.
February 26th, 2023 at 10:28 pm
I’m not a Gator homer, I have watched plenty of Trask at Florida. He’s big, has a strong arm and his touch and accuracy are amazing. Go back and watch his tape, watch his game against Alabama where he kept the inferior Gators in that game.
Who knows for certain if he’s going to be the long term answer. In high school and college he was a late bloomer who had to come up through the ranks, he ultimately bloomed big time. I am all for giving this guy an opportunity based on what he has done in the past and what I have witnessed.
February 26th, 2023 at 10:30 pm
No prima donnas, no vets, no journeymen. Go with youth, mobility, and talent. Send Trask to QB finishing school for about a month before the season starts. Get an evaluation on him. Put him in for every snap of preseason games. No competition. Bring in a high quality QB coach. Spend QB savings on upgrading O-line, D-line, and skill positions. Let Trask know exactly what his short leash is right up front. If you go 2 games below .500, you will likely lose your starting job. The other two QBs on the 2023 roster are rookie draft picks who have started at least 30 college games each, and done reasonably well. Height helps. Mobility helps. Wonderlic helps. May the best QB win the 2024 Bucs starting QB job. No riisk it, no biscuit!
February 26th, 2023 at 10:37 pm
@sascrotch
“We got a good young quarterback.” – Arians, Bruce C.
😛
February 26th, 2023 at 10:41 pm
@ButtBoy,
Arians also thinks Leftwich is head coach material, so his public statements about Trask mean almost nothing.
February 26th, 2023 at 10:56 pm
Go with trask, tank season….we need the high draft picks next year….and no im not being sarcastic or a smarta$$$, its reality, some have a grasp on it, but many do not
February 26th, 2023 at 11:43 pm
Everything they were saying about Caleb Williams they were saying about Johnny Football. And Same Darnold. And Zach Wilson. And Josh Rosen. And……
February 27th, 2023 at 12:37 am
Hey Ryan Clark, here’s a comparison between Caleb Williams and Kyle Trask:
Williams:
4,537 yards 66.6% completion 45 TD 5 INT in 14 games w/ 324 ypg
Trask:
4,283 yards 68.9% completion 43 TD 8 INT in 12 games w/ 356 ypg
Keep in mind Trask did that in 2 less games as Eastern Washington and South Alabama games were cancelled. So Trask lost his two opener cakewalk games and still set school records in yards and TDs and he did it all against the SEC. He through for 400 yards five times that year setting another school record and at least 4 TDs in seven consecutive games – which less than 10 players have done since 2000.
Canales better recognize. He’s got a protoype QB who set records in college. People think just because he sat behind The Goat and the Goat’s caddy for two seasons and was squeezed out of reps he’s garbage all of a sudden. He isn’t. You don’t put up those numbers in college with a lack of talent.
Hopefully Canales puts together an offense to make use of the Bucs weapons on the outside. Be aggressive. Trask is fearless and will push the ball down field. Let him take shots. Mike Alstott isn’t walking through that door. What I heard in the new OC press conference was “we’re going to take our prototype pocket passer who studied the last two years under the greatest QB in the history of football and make him a check down charlie RPO guy”. I mean WTF?
Last I heard Evans and Godwin are still on this football team.
With Russell Wilson they had an undersized guy who could get out of the pocket and make plays. That was his strength so they built an offense around that with Marshawn Lynch in their back pocket. If Canales tries to fit 6’5″ 240 Trask into the Russell Wilson box then what are we even doing?
Go look at the tape again if you need to do that. Go to yt right now and type in Trask 2020 highlights. You’ll see plenty of Trask high pointing footballs and throwing guys open – 46 TDs worth including his QB keepers. You just don’t draft a guy like that for your post-Brady life and then pull the rip cord on him. You got this kid because you knew you were going to be up against it with the cap. You made the plan now stick with it. You have a young franchise QB who’s ready.
February 27th, 2023 at 1:01 am
Plus it appears the team over-all will be weaker compared what Brady worked with. If we’re expecting Trask to save the day and make up for other team deficiency’s that would be brutally unfair. Talk about throwing a guy under the bus.
Sink or swim.
February 27th, 2023 at 1:06 am
It’s not clear he’s a franchise QB. He hasn’t shown anything since he was drafted to give anyone the sense that he’s a franchise caliber QB. Is he a maybe franchise QB? Sure, maybe… It seems he’ll have a chance to show it this year. It’s supposed to be a QB friendly offense, the running game should improve, and he still has Evans and Godwin. If he’s a “franchise QB”, it ought to show up this year.
February 27th, 2023 at 5:09 am
Rand Says:
February 27th, 2023 at 1:01 am
Plus it appears the team over-all will be weaker compared what Brady worked with. If we’re expecting Trask to save the day and make up for other team deficiency’s that would be brutally unfair. Talk about throwing a guy under the bus.
Sink or swim.
^^^^^^^^^^^
You’re supposed to make excuses AFTER someone fails, but I see you’re hedging your bet. Not a good sign for one of Trask’s biggest fans to make excuses in advance.
February 27th, 2023 at 5:38 am
Our last first pick, franchise “QB” lost 48 of 72 games he started. Teams with good offenses can win with backup QB ‘s. So speaking of good offenses, I think we should have one and give Trask a chance, even if he turns out to be a game manager, that’s ok if we play good defense. We won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson. So I am not ready for the gloom and doom scenario that many on this site have.
February 27th, 2023 at 6:02 am
Who cares. This dude was lucky to be drafted in the 2nd and luckier to be in the NFL at all given how terrible he is
February 27th, 2023 at 6:34 am
@sascrotch,
Arians also won 3 Super Bowls – 1 as head coach and 2 as assistant coach – so your opinion of him is utterly worthless. As are all your opinions. 😛
February 27th, 2023 at 6:51 am
Everyone see Mike S comment…he wins the day in my opinion.
A week ago, I went back to read Trasks draft profile, and watched the tape as well, and I see a kid that doesn’t have a lot of games outside of two seasons, but those seasons were really really good, and in the best conference in college football. As a 3 or 4 year starter, he easily goes in the first round.
In regards to Trask beating Gabbert, I don’t think it was ever a competition, or a thing to hang your hat on, they were never competing. Brady most likely wanted a vet to bounce game off of, someone more on his level.
It will say a lot of Trask if the Bucs go out and get a guy like Garoppolo, or Baker, as those guys aren’t getting signed to be bridges for Trask, they expect to start, which means the org didn’t see what they wanted in Trask through 2 seasons. Even without the game time, there’s approach to the game that you’ll see behind closed doors that’s observed. QBs are Alphas, and if anyone has ever been a in team sport, you know those guys on and off the field. Is Trask that guy? Evaluations are always going on, I bet Brady when he was sitting behind Bledsoe the Patriots saw something in how he was picking up the game, or asking questions, etc. The last 3 seasons, all we’ve been drinking in is Tom Brady… there’s nothing coming from any Bucs news media outlets about Trask taking extra reps, or working longer hours to prepare himself, NOTHING that I’ve read. It will be an interesting offseason.
February 27th, 2023 at 6:52 am
Meatchicken,
Rand has a legitimate point. The Bucs were 8-9 last seson WITH Tom Brady. According to Joe and many others here, 8-9 was not Tommy’s fault, it was the fault of the players surrounding him. For the GOAT to have had his first losing season EVER, he must have been on a really bad team, no? Well, that will be the team Trask would be making his first start with. So if the GOAT won only 8, how many can Trask be expected to win? 4? 5? I don’t know, but surely not 8, right? 😛
February 27th, 2023 at 6:56 am
@Zoocomics
Good post. Facts. Logic. Don’t see much of that here.
February 27th, 2023 at 7:09 am
@Mike S,
Great post. I would add that Trask’s record-setting 2020 season was only 10 games long due to Covid, not the normal 12 games, AND all 10 games were against SEC teams. Normal seasons are 12 games against 8 SEC games and 4 weaker non-SEC teams. Had Trask played the typical 12-game schedule that Joe Burrow played the year before at LSU , Trask would have broken even more records. But, Kyle didn’t play at FSU, and he doesn’t advance the woke narrative. 😛
February 27th, 2023 at 9:04 am
BucBoy: Thank you for your excuses in advance. It’s what losers do.
February 27th, 2023 at 9:08 am
Not saying you’re a loser BucBoy, I don’t know you.
February 27th, 2023 at 11:46 am
Not so brutal for Trask. He’s not a rookie, so he’s got the flow of pro life down. He’s got Evans, Godwin, and Gage to throw to. He’s got a solid OL. Good spot for him to show what he can do…