“Agitated” Kyle Trask Has Disappeared
July 28th, 2023
“Kyle, quit slouching.”
Joe found the following Kyle Trask admission telling on a few fronts.
In case you missed it, Trask has never made a start and has played roughly half a game in his two-year career. He hasn’t been handed the rock to start a preseason game, either.
So it’s fair to say Trask hasn’t seen much real pressure or high-leverage NFL situations.
Still, Trask said yesterday that he used to be somewhat agitated in the pocket before this summer and is now a different QB. He was responding to Joe asking him to pinpoint how he’s most improved after all the practice and game reps he’s had to date.
“Just staying calmer in the pocket. I think, in the past I was a little agitated or maybe trying to force my feet around. I wasn’t as smooth as I am now,” Trask said. “Just trying to be clean and smooth in the pocket and, you know, play taller. I think in the past maybe I was a little squatty; I wasn’t playing like I was 6’5″ – I need to take advantage of it. So playing a little taller, smoother – you know, smooth is fast. I would say that’s been my main focus, too.”
Calmness comes with experience. Joe gets that, but the “playing taller” line made Joe take pause.
Tom Brady is a 6-5 quarterback, so was former Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. And former Bucs QB coach Clyde Christensen and Bucco Bruce Arians, along with Bucs in-house quarterback guru Tom Moore, built reputations for their work with another 6-5 quarterback named Peyton Manning.
Arians also worked with “Big Ben” Roethlisberger and revived the career of 6-5 quarterback Carson Palmer.
So Joe is having a hard time understanding how Trask, per his comments, is now getting to playing taller and that it’s now his “main focus.”
It seems the Trask incubator of the past couple of years was missing a few warming lightbulbs.
Trask went on to say that some of the mechanical tweaks he made to his game this offseason were driven by the current coaching staff and were about playing taller.
July 28th, 2023 at 6:04 am
Or maybe the lightbulb is just coming on for Trask? Not everyone is ready when we want them to be ready. Mahomes sat for a year, then was ready to take off. Jordan Love, and Trey Lance have been stuck on the runway for years. Maybe it’s just Trask’s time to take the step.
July 28th, 2023 at 6:40 am
Press conference jibber jabber. We’ll finally see with our own damn eyes whether dude is a bust or a starter. In my eyes if he doesn’t start after working with TB12 every day for 2 yrs then he’s an absolute bust. I’m rooting for him. Bottom line: Perform or get out. Harsh but it’s a harsh league.
July 28th, 2023 at 6:51 am
Joe, c’mon. Trask almost certainly got little coaching his first two seasons playing third string behind the GOAT. He was relegated to throwing to scrubs most of whom didn’t even make the team, let alone become starters.
No team is going to devote a ton of coaching attention to someone whom they have zero expectation of starting. Especially when the starter is the GOAT … you know, the GOAT, the greatest of all time quarterback.
There aren’t enough coaching hours to train everybody to be the starter, especially since the collective bargaining agreement greatly limited direct coaching contact time years ago. Coaches have been complaining about that for many years, including BA.
July 28th, 2023 at 7:03 am
KYLE: “I wasn’t playing like I was 6’5″
Ouch. Shot at 6’1″ Mayfield?
By the way, Brady is listed everywhere as 6’4″, not 6’5”.
July 28th, 2023 at 7:15 am
Duane Says: “There aren’t enough coaching hours to train everybody to be the starter, especially since the collective bargaining agreement greatly limited direct coaching contact time years ago. Coaches have been complaining about that for many years, including BA.”
Great point. Former Bucs QB Coach Clyde Christensen said pretty much the same thing when he said Trask would not compete for the backup role because there are not enough practice reps for both Trask and Gabbert and so Gabbert would be the one to practice as the backup. And so Trask got two years of playing with truck drivers. Now that he’s with the ones for the first time, he’s startling (worrying?) Joe at how good he looks. LOL
July 28th, 2023 at 7:22 am
Ho hum, non issue. He barely existed before this season. Youngster gaining more confidence with much more participation.
July 28th, 2023 at 7:28 am
You could see what he’s talking about in his footwork during the past 2 preseasons. You could see the anxiety in his movement especially after getting his first few tastes of pressure/contact. Still, that didn’t stop him from bettering his completion pct from 52.7% as a rookie to 64.2% last preseason.
Really like hearing Trask mention playing “smoother” moving forward. My guess would be the pass Joe raved about Trask threading between 2 defenders is also a sign of that newfound smoothness.
July 28th, 2023 at 7:42 am
Haven’t been this excited for preseason in quite some time. I’ve been trying to not take sides as I truly want one of these QBs to play well enough to keep us in contention, but I’m kinda pulling for Trask. Gonna be fun to watch.
July 28th, 2023 at 8:04 am
It seems that Canales is quite the quarterback whisperer. If he can see things that need improvement in a player’s game, tweak it and help install confidence in that player I can understand why Geno Smith improved so much last season.
That kind of confidence is contagious. And Canales is doing something Byron couldn’t do and that’s scheming receivers open. In the past, Mike Evans has had to fight for every single reception He made. imagine what kind of yardage he could gain, if he were actually open sometime. Has any team ever had 2 1500 yard receivers in the same season?
July 28th, 2023 at 8:04 am
I just want to see him get his chance and may the best player win.
July 28th, 2023 at 8:20 am
Our coaches screwed him when they decided to invest all of their second team reps in Blain Gabbert (who suuuucked). Trask should have been given as much playing time as possible in the preseason games, and any game we got blown out or were blowing the other team out of. Instead they had him sit in the stands and act like he was learning something. I have coached QBs and what we did for the last two years did not prepare him to be the starter this year.
July 28th, 2023 at 8:42 am
Of course buddy😄. You playing!?
July 28th, 2023 at 8:50 am
It’s about time you make a decision!!!!!!
July 28th, 2023 at 8:52 am
You can’t have a great team without making decisions and developing young talented players.
July 28th, 2023 at 9:04 am
I like that he has made himself available and is saying how he got better.
It is a sign of maturity that he is comfortable enough with himself to discuss it.
He also made himself available to the tribune for all of their questions. Today’s Bucs pieces all had quotes from Trask about the qualities of other players (all positive); all I have heard from Baker is crickets.
July 28th, 2023 at 9:08 am
Why do we forget Brady never liked his backups to shine so sounds like he wasn’t getting the coaching he needed. He should have been coached up to be our backup last year but I fear Brady’s frail Ego couldn’t handle that.
July 28th, 2023 at 9:08 am
Man, it’s just a dang shame that Trask didn’t come out of college “pro-ready” and has to learn things.
I can only imagine how great it would be to be able to draft a “pro-ready” QB, maybe even one with an “unlimited ceiling” and a “football savant” with a first overall draft pick.
I dream of the day that the stats align and we can draft “Our Savior” at the most coveted position in football……
July 28th, 2023 at 9:20 am
Confidence is everything in football. Without it, you are slow to react. Hopefully, this will improve Trask’s game. He has a habit to be an underachiever at first but then blooms as a starter QB. Hopefully this is the case now.
July 28th, 2023 at 9:32 am
I know you’re not quite there yet when it comes to the idea of Kyle Trask starting for us Joe, but I am pleasantly surprised that you seem to be ever so slightly warming up to that possibility. Like several others have already mentioned, Trask got the crumbs these last 2 years. This is his first real opportunity to show what he’s capable of, and it sounds like he’s off to a decent start. We’ll know a lot more once the pads come on.
I still view this as a win-win situation for the Bucs. A couple months ago we had only one green QB and just about everyone was viewing the QB position as our weakest link. Today things at least seem like they might be a little more promising.
July 28th, 2023 at 10:01 am
Trask will not be the starting QB no matter what happens in camp…the Bucs are going (or at least should) give Baker an opportunity to revive his once promising career because he doesn’t start opening day.
Even if Trask does play better than Baker in training camp, it’s still just training camp and it’s a totally different ball game when the pressures on and bullets are flying in live action. Baker is the safe choice with 70 games of starting experience, + plus as a bonus has the clear marketability advantage would automatically increase national interest and soon be filming Progressive commercials from the pirate ship.
July 28th, 2023 at 10:17 am
Funny, I noticed that about Trask as well. Brad Johnson had this problem and never really fixed in. They’re both tall, but in the pocket they spread their legs so far apart, they kind of ‘squat’ and play shorter than their height. Contrast that with Drew Brees, who was barely six foot, yet played on his tippy toes.
What good is being 6’5″ if you don’t take advantage of it?
July 28th, 2023 at 10:17 am
I dream of the day that the stats align and we can draft “Our Savior” at the most coveted position in football……Doosh
Oh, that would be a greaaaat day! We have the worse record in the NFL and pick first. How many #1 picks (see Mayfield) who are drafted #1 or 2 and flamed out (Jamis and Marriota anyone). So we sink to the bottom and have a chance to draft OUR SAVIOR! How many on this board think Licht would draft the right QB?
How many have we EVER drafted? Other than TB, Steve Young was the best QB we ever had and we gave him away. BTW, we had first pick of the USFL when it folded. Steve Young was no rookie when we picked him. He was the MVP of that league- -not a guess.
July 28th, 2023 at 10:31 am
I’M SO PROUD OF KYLE TRASK..HE’S FINALLY GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY HE’S DESERVED SINCE HE WAS 1ST DRAFTED..I BELIEVE IN HIM, I ALWAYS HAVE ( I PRAYED WE WOULD DRAFT HIM IN 2021 !!)..WE NEED A TALLER QUARTERBACK WHO CAN MOVE & THROW ON THE RUN ! HE OBVIOUSLY HAS AN ADVANTAGE OF BEING TO SEE OVER THESE ON RUSHING LINEMAN !..I LOVE BAKER’S “MOXIE” ( CONFIDENCE )..BUT I’M STARTING TO SEE KYLE’S CONFIDENCE RISE WITHIN HIMSELF & HE’S BECOMING MORE OUTSOKEN IN INTERVIEWS AS WELL..HE IS VERY CAPABLE OF WINNING THIS COMPETITION & HE’S STARTING TO FIGURE IT OUT..
LET’S GO KYLE TRASK ! ! YOU CAN WIN THIS JOB ! I BELIEVE IN YOU ! YOU’VE BEEN LIKE AN OL’ CHUNK OF COAL SITTING THE BENCH, BUT YOUR GOING TO BE A “DIAMOND” FOR THE BUCCANEERS THIS YEAR ! ! ! YOUR TIME HAS COME TO BE THE FACE OF THE FRANCHISE ! LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN ! YOU BECOME THE CLEAR CUT STARTER HERE IN TAMPA BAY ! ! !
July 28th, 2023 at 10:45 am
KYLE TRASK ( IF THIS TRULY IS A COMPETITION) WILL WIN THE STARTING JOB..I DON’T THINK MANY PEOPLE WANT YOU TO..I LOVE BAKER TOO.,BUT I BELIEVE YOU WITH YOUR NEWLY FOUND CONFIDENCE, CAN WIN THIS COMPETITION IF YOU GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT !..I WANTED THE BUCCANEERS TO DRAFT YOU CAUSE I COULD FORSEE YOU BECOMING BRADY’S HEIR APPARENT FOR THE STARTING JOB ! (IF THIS IS TRULY AN OPEN/FAIR COMPETITION) THEN GET YOUR 6’5″ ASS OUT THERE & PROVE ME RIGHT !
July 28th, 2023 at 10:51 am
Leftwich was too busy with TB12 to coach Trask, and it should have been Christensen’s job to coach Trask but that didn’t happen. We see how active Canales is with the QB’s, and Trask is finally getting some coaching.
July 28th, 2023 at 10:58 am
@Oregon
I for one think that if Licht takes another stab at it, Licht Finds The BEST Prospect available. And in this draft class, IT’S POSSIBLE!
Everybody needs to look at the Facts when it comes to the WInston choice. WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO? The Fact IS that Winston (by far) WAS the very best prospect in that class! Hands down. Licht DIDN’T have another choice to make. The ONLY argument that could be made is that he passes picking a QB that year. BTW, he may not have had a choice! Did anybody watch this movie “Draft Day”? Notice how the OWNER Insisted? Plus you’ve got good ole Lovey Smith as the new head coach bouncing up and down like a dog with a toy at the idea of drafting a qb for his reign as head coach!
Honestly, i don’t think Licht had a choice then. Do I think it would go differently now? Oh YES..I..
Now can they develop one? Hmm. Maybe if they take it seriously for a change.
Trask is next
July 28th, 2023 at 11:26 am
Now as far as Trask goes, Joe, you’re aware that Trask himself sat right there for whoever was listening and Made it CLEAR that he Was NOT trained AT ALL for his first 2 seasons. NOTHING!
Licht Made it CLEAR that Trask received NO actual training for the first 2 seasons. NONE…….!!
Am I kinda surprised that was neglected to be mentioned in this write up? NO…
And I’ve got to say you’re right not to bother with it and go for a stirring article because apparently we’ve got people commenting that didn’t watch the interview OR They Didn’t WATCH the Interview and how it was MADE CLEAR that he received No Nothing when it came to preparing him for Anything! And they don’t have a clue.
What’s funny is the Bakerette’s are starting to feel the heat. What’s becoming clearer and clearer is that Trask indeed Exceeds Mayfield in at least most areas and TRASK HAS JUST GOTTEN STARTED! That would include me since I like everybody else have been feed bad and misleading information for MONTHS!
A LESSON LEARNED! ALWAYS EXPECT the media to twist narratives to their Own liking and TRUTH is just an after thought…
Baker Mayfield makes a MORE.THAN average relief qb. But in reality it seems that maybe his ceiling. We will TRULY know his ceiling this year. If he can’t break through that glass this year then it will be some years that he actually gets another shot at it. Also, it will be a long shot with injuries (like last year) or a desperate, and broke, and possibly far worse off talent wise than us, team to be forced to give him a shot more than one or two games at the helm. I wish him luck. I’ve got nothing against him AT ALL personally. I’m just tired of my team being a middle of the road “at best” laughing stock, after thought of a team.
I WANT A FRANCHISE QB! And now that I have actual info to base my personal decisions on a qb, Trask just “might” be the guy to do it….
GO BUCS!
July 28th, 2023 at 11:31 am
Well said @Duane.
Also, maybe Trask is just a late bloomer. Ain’t nothing wrong with that if your the team with him at the right time.
July 28th, 2023 at 12:23 pm
Aaron Rodgers didn’t get to start until his 4th season!!! Yep he was behind a GB legend in Favre. Does anybody here really wish to argue that Favre is better than Tom Brady.
IE There is no shame in sitting behind Brady and if Trask doesn’t get to start for another year like Rodgers it doesn’t mean he sucks.
Can’t the QB competition be for the guy who plays the best, not to see who sucks the least. Sometimes the negativity here is palpable!
We have a lot of little trains here chugging up the hill saying, “I think I can’t I think I can’t.
AGAIN…it is POSSIBLE that the Bucs have TWO NFL caliber QB’s just like the Pack did! Or the Niners!!! Or…
July 28th, 2023 at 12:32 pm
stpetebucfan Says: “”Does anybody here really wish to argue that Favre is better than Tom Brady.”
The argument has been made that, yes, he is, because Favre never played with a single Hall of Fame player on offense.
July 28th, 2023 at 12:52 pm
TB3 . That is the dumbest take I’ve ever seen that training camp don’t matter!! Most of yall on here and Joe pushed the narrative that Trask couldn’t beat out Blain Gabbert. And now you’re saying training camp don’t matter which one is it lol 🤣?? I guess the rookies that came in should skip training camp and wait for the season to start than go to practice man this fan base on this site sucks not all of y’all but just the ones that’s haten on Trask and hoping he fails!! And all the losers that want to tank wich means lose on purpose.
July 28th, 2023 at 1:36 pm
Tony
I take your point although I disagree with those who say that Favre was better, but I certainly accept the difference of opinion and you make a great point about who played around him.
And of course in terms of all those SB’s Favre did not have the genius of BB creating monster defenses.
So while I agree there can be room for disagreement my point is actually that Trask won’t be the first to wait his turn because of an HOF QB in front of him.
Mayfield is not HOF material. But he DID have one GREAT season and so there’s no shame if Trask doesn’t get the start this year, nor is there for Mayfield if Trask wins out.
July 28th, 2023 at 2:18 pm
@stpete
Yes, not only did Favre have nobody truly great around him on offense – unlike Bradshaw, Montana, Aikman, Brady – he made those around him very good, in particular the receivers – the Packers brought on relative unknowns at receiver and Favre turned them into household words. The only Hall of Fame player that Favre came close to playing with was Brady’s Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss. The Packers refused to bring him in and that pissed off Favre.
July 28th, 2023 at 4:23 pm
O’Neil
Get real, there’s been PLENTY of NFL players who can absolutely ball out during practice but DISAPPEAR during the games where you actually hit and play real football.
Kenny Bell would agree with me.
July 28th, 2023 at 4:30 pm
Hey Joe,
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Just typing for the sake of typing
DA!!
July 28th, 2023 at 4:37 pm
Kyle Trask hasn’t been tackled in a live football game in years…training camp is literally 2 hand touch football.
Oniel you should watch the Netflix documentary quarterback and learn a thing or 2…..
A quote from Kirk Cousins,”there are some games where you think this is the worst job alive from all the huts you take, challenge of playing quarterback isn’t about being able to take hits in one game but it’s about being able to consistent take hits and recover throughout the course of an entire season”
But yeah, keep going on about how flag football in training camp is the same thing…….
July 28th, 2023 at 4:54 pm
READ BETWEEN THE LINES
Trask feels like he’s playing taller. He hasn’t grown or overcome bad posture, but he is “standing taller”. He’s got more confidence.
Being a rookie behind the GOAT (who hates rookies QBs) would be impossible. BL and BA probably kissed TB12’s ass and treated Trask like an unwanted child.
Now, Trask has replaced TB12’s shadow and BL/BA’s disdain with Canales! The epitome of positivity and support. It’s a breath of fresh air.
Stand tall, Trask.
July 28th, 2023 at 4:55 pm
The coaching staff spent little time coaching up Trask because there was no chance of him playing a regular season game. Which begs the question, who in the front office thought drafting him in the second round was a good idea? His contribution to date could have been handled by an undrafted free agent.
July 28th, 2023 at 5:46 pm
This is gonna be such a fun preseason with both camps going bonkers about which QB looks better and should start. Mayfield with some of the best receivers he’s ever thrown to, and Trask not slinging it to future mail men! Plus new O.C with hopefully a head for scheming players open and a bunch of new defensive players for Bowles to have fun with! I for one will enjoy every minute, and may the best team take the field for Minnesota! Go Bucs!!
July 28th, 2023 at 8:55 pm
The headline is completely misleading and prototypical click bait.
I read this site though and recommend it. I just am agitated with manipulation from blogs I respect. Leave the provocations to TMZ.
Trask is JAG city. I don’t love Mayfield, but he’s the guy now.
July 29th, 2023 at 6:40 am
Trask was sent to the corner and told to sit down and shut up.
All but ignored for the past 2 years. I am convinced that Christianson either did not or would not work with Trask. Was this on Leftnuts orders? Brady’s orders? Pure professional malfeasance? Who Knows. When I read that Trask was outside after practice working “on his own”. That told me he was being mishandled. Your 2nd round pick that you have ALOT invested in? Really? Not even an assistant QB coach with the huge staff Arians insisted on? Just my two cents on it. Last years Atlanta game sealed it for me.
Go Bucs!
July 29th, 2023 at 8:32 am
Be real Buc fans , your team without a proven QB will be below. 500 from here on out. You won’t be hearing the cannons on game day.
July 29th, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Get real. Trask is a joke. What has he done. He almost beat Alabama? Ooh you almost had it.
July 29th, 2023 at 8:15 pm
As for Winston I believe Lovie Smith as the head coach made that decision. He was hired before Licht and was running the show. I don’t disagree with the pick, it just didn’t pan out
July 29th, 2023 at 8:29 pm
Garro, spot on. Trask was drafted FAB: For After Brady. How long did Gabbert stick after Brady retired? Thought so. Trask was drafted because Licht thought he would be a good-possibly great QB if his future was like his past, sitting, waiting, learning, GO. What a great thing it would be if, after Brady, this team turns out to be a bunch of talented guys that kicks ass and wins while everyone else looks dumbfounded.
July 30th, 2023 at 3:56 am
It’s clear now that after being ignored for 2 years, this is the first time Trask is getting properly coached and allowed to play with the starters. Watching full game tapes from his time at Florida, his key attributes are between the ears. Despite average offensive line and no running game, Trask stood in the shotgun and constantly went through 2-3 progressions to get the ball to the open man consistently. Mayfield has skills but his problems have been more mental and his progression and reading skills are not equal to Trask. Therefore I predict Trask will be the starter eventually because he has more upside than Mayfield.
July 30th, 2023 at 6:11 am
So weird this kid wasn’t ready for prime time when he played the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU etc… In the best conference in college football. This is all preseason filler.
July 30th, 2023 at 10:05 am
KYLE TRASK IS A MUCH BETTER QUARTERBACK THAN HE WAS WHEN HE 1ST CAME OUT OF FLORIDA..SITTING THE BENCH FOR 2 YEARS, LEARNING THINGS FROM THE G.O.A.T. & NOW DAVE CANALES SYSTEM IS MORE GEARED FOR HIS TYPE OF GAME..TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE FOR THE STARTING POSITION & PLAY WITH THE ONES IS PRICELESS, HE WORKED WITH RECIEVERS IN THE OFF-SEASON (MUCH THE WAY BRADY DID BEFORE THE 2020 SEASON AFTER WE 1ST SIGNED HIM )HE IS BECOMING A MORE COMPLETE QUARTERBACK BEFORE OUR EYES & COULD CONCEIVABLY WIN THIS COMPETITION WITH MAYFIELD..THINGS ARE PRETTY EVEN AS I WRITE THIS REPLY..MONDAY WHEN THE PADS COME ON, THIS COMPETITION IS GOING TO HEAT UP IN THE BEST WAY..EITHER OF THESE TWO CAN WIND UP STARTING THE VIKINGS GAME THE WAY THINGS HAVE GONE TO THIS POINT..DEAD EVEN…