BSPN: The Likely Outcome Of The Baker Mayfield-Kyle Trask Battle
August 14th, 2023
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.
Joe loves it when folks take a strong stand. And Dan Graziano did just that in discussing Bucs quarterbacks and the future of the position.
First, let Joe remind you what the Sage of Tampa Bay sports, the King of New Port Richey reported last week: Mayfield is your Bucs starting quarterback Week 1 barring some freak injury.
However, Graziano, of BSPN, seems to believe in the time-honored football axiom of “When you have two quarterbacks, you have none.” And he seems steamed that the Bucs try to claim they don’t know who their starter is less than a month before the season kicks off.
Graziano believes he has this Bucs quarterback battle figured out: Mayfield will start Week 1. When he proves to be ineffective, in Graziano’s eyes, the Bucs will turn to Trask.
When Trask falters, per Graziano, the next step will be clear to all:
#CollapseForCaleb.
Most likely outcome: Mayfield starts Week 1 but doesn’t do anything to dazzle anyone. Trask gets some starts at some point because the team needs to know what, if anything, it has in him. The Bucs are one of the worst teams in the league, deal away veterans at the trade deadline (Mike Evans, anyone? Chris Godwin?) and contend for the No. 1 pick in the draft — where they can really find their Brady successor.
Well, Joe wonders how trading Mike Evans and Chris Godwin would fly in Todd Bowles’ offense. And if you were going to draft a quarterback next year, wouldn’t you want the guy to throw to Evans and Godwin?
Joe has stated all along that if Mayfield/Trask can prove their worth as a starting NFL quarterback, then that guy will be tasked with moving the Bucs forward.
If Mayfield/Trask are not up to the task, then the Bucs will go get a quarterback. Simple.
After watching 14 training camp practices and documenting virtually every snap Mayfield and Trask have taken, Joe sees these two in sort of a dead heat based on their on-field showing. So what are we talking about here.
Just go get a quality quarterback next spring. First round.
August 14th, 2023 at 3:04 pm
I’m shocked I tell you, shocked, that some smart team owner has not snatched up Graziano to run their team. It boggles the mind that a man of that talent, skill and, dare I say elan, is not out winning super bowls right and left as GM somewhere. I’m just flabbergasted. Trading Evans and Godwin? Genius. Making your team worse to pick a questionable QB early in the draft? It works every time of course! Why didn’t we see it?!?
August 14th, 2023 at 3:21 pm
“Just go get a quality quarterback next spring.” – Yes
“First round.” – NO!!!!
Find out about Baker.
If fail, find out about Trask.
If fail, find a veteran QB in the offseason.
KNOW YOUR BUCS HISTORY
The Bucs are 0 for 14 (or 23?) on drafted QBs. 0 = Zero success. We’ve won two Super Bowls with veteran QBs. With so many great young prospects hitting the market, the Bucs will have access to at least 5-6 solid vets. Goff comes to mind. In just the last three seasons: TB12, Wilson, and Rodgers have become available.
August 14th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
Next year’s draft.. Oline, Oline, replacing LVD, cornerback and then go out and get a veteran QB. Caleb or any other QB coming out of college will not be the savior of the franchise.
August 14th, 2023 at 3:33 pm
Mayfield will start the first games. He will be successful if Canales runs play actions and boots for Mayfield where he’s at his best. In straight drop backs Mayfield is much less effective. If and when Bowles tires of Mayfield, then Trask takes over. If Trask doesn’t work out we go with Maye next year. If we had a good OL we could win with either QB. If the OL isn’t fixed we need get a running QB this year and next year. The OL coaches need to go as the OL play is horrible.
August 14th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
#JustTank
August 14th, 2023 at 3:49 pm
Jack Burton: 💯! You’re my new favorite on here!
August 14th, 2023 at 3:53 pm
I wasn’t expecting anything different, but it will be interesting if Trask lights up the Jets defense.
Mayfield will become the new Fitz Magic. One stellar game, one okay game, and going down from there.
If Hot Toddie tries to keep him in until he turns a corner, he will be tarred and feathered when the wheels come off.
August 14th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
If the Bucs record is crappy enough to be drafting in the top ten in 2024 then that first spot is not a pipe dream. Trade #45 and a midround draft pick to move up.
August 14th, 2023 at 3:59 pm
You can’t let the past stop you from getting a QB in the first round. You want a higher draft pick to get the guy you want. Fact is good QBs can be found in every round.
August 14th, 2023 at 4:04 pm
Baker will start. Baker will go well. Joe’s opinion is just that, his/their opinion. I’m not exactly enthusiastic about your trading camp reporting either. Same for Danny Graz.
August 14th, 2023 at 4:08 pm
And THERE you have it….
I sure like how Caleb has done so far But I’m hearing Great stuff about a guy named Drake…. And More.
The idea Alone of calling a Phenom Your QB is EXCITING! A couple of these guys Just Might put the guys on the roster this year, TO SHAME!
Hey, DON’T be mad at the messenger! To me it’s WEIRD that Any of You would actually be Butt Hurt to potentially get a guy, THE GUY that changes ALL OF OUR FORTUNES to SO MUCH, MUCH Better than we’ve Ever had it with the exception of ONLY ONE MAN. And he just left the team. “Imagine” having THE SHOT at the BIG SHOW EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
Just try it on for size. You might just FALL IN LOVE!
And DON’T even BOTHER wasting your breath trying to tell me that we won’t find THAT GUY IN THE DRAFT! DON’T EVEN BOTHER. Because eventually you’ll realize JUST HOW STUPID THAT SOUNDS!
GO BUCS!
August 14th, 2023 at 4:09 pm
It’s less than 4 weeks till game 1. That’s when we’ll find out what this team has to offer the owners and fans! We’ll also find out, if there’s any hope for the O line, if the the offense can consistently run the ball, and if DC’s offense is awesome or not! We’ll also find out, if the defense can stop run, If the defense can sack the QB, and if you the defense can get off the he field without giving up points! We’ll also find out if the coaches were able to get the penalty and tackling situations under control too! Till then it’s anyone’s guess. LFG!!
As far as who the starting QB will be… I think everyone already knows!
August 14th, 2023 at 4:23 pm
It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out…..Mayfield starts, Mafield fails, Trask starts, Trask fails……Bucs draft a QB…
Now, trading away Evans & or Godwin…….that’s another matter altogether.
August 14th, 2023 at 4:27 pm
Joe’s it’s funny how Not One of these guys seems to believe your lying eyes. 🤣
Well, I got your back and it just seems crystal.
Everybody trying to “cobble” some kind of strategy together to keep average “Den of Depression” types standing on very weak legs. I ADMIRE THE NEVER GIVE UP HEART of the commenters but I’m dazzled that some just refuse to see the truth. We just Don’t have THE GUY on the roster. Trask and Mayfield still have a “long shot” of a chance BUT Everybody has to ask themselves, do either of them resemble ANY Legendary QB that you’ve ever heard of?
I came up with a NO on the subject. It seems I’m not alone, nor you guys in thinking that THERE IS BETTER OUT THERE just waiting to come home to Tampa Bay to be the One that DID Break the QB curse..
I’ll get attacked for backing you up But Man, when you’re RIGHT, you’re RIGHT..
August 14th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
I’ve watched Baker for 4 years and I’ve seen him be VERY effective as a drop back passer. Just take a look at one of his highlight tapes. Don’t believe all the “so-called” experts, even the ones who report on the Bucs. Baker is well aware that if he doesn’t do well he’ll be holding a clip board. What you saw in the first preseason game is just part of what he can do. If Canales doesn’t get too conservative Baker will shine. Bowles has seen Baker do it before. He’s in a tough position because he can’t risk starting Trask because he has no track record. Go Bucs.
August 14th, 2023 at 4:55 pm
Mayfield will start, and be awful, but will remain the starting QB through the Buffalo game – after the Bucs get destroyed in that game, Bowles will finally change QBs in order to save his job (but of course that won’t work and he’ll be fired at the end of the year).
Bowles won’t make the change during the bye-week since it’s too early in the season, and if he changes QB early, and the Bucs lose to Buffalo 55-10, he needs someone to throw to the wolves, and if he’s already changed QBs, then he’s the one being thrown to the wolves. So while people will be whining and crying and expecting a change to be done during the bye week, it won’t happen.
August 14th, 2023 at 4:57 pm
The Baker Mayfield we saw on Friday wasn’t playing behind his starting O-Line, didn’t have his starting RB, and didn’t have his top 3 targets on the field, and he still went 8 of 9 with a TD that had nice touch and accuracy on it. He has the tools. It’ll be more of the same on Saturday against the Jets. We won’t know anything about how well Baker is doing until week 2 or 3 of the regular season, when the starting offense starts to gel. Canales needs to craft the game plan around his strengths, which I think he is doing. Until then, we can debate our fingers off. Baker will hopefully do alright; if not, they put Trask in early to see if they need to draft someone or not. That’s how Licht and Bowles will play it.
August 14th, 2023 at 5:05 pm
John Wolford only had limited time in the preseason game with the scrubs but he looked better than Trask or Mayfield. He should be in the conversation, might be a diamond in the rough.
August 14th, 2023 at 5:17 pm
What if Mayfield plays okay, but Bumbling Bowles finds a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Happened how many times last year?
Then the Bucs are 7-10, and have a lackluster draft pick, a lackluster team, and are shopping for a new head coach. Bah….
August 14th, 2023 at 5:22 pm
I hate to break it to people, but Baker Mayfield, at best, will do just good enough to cost us the first pick.
And even if (when) they bench him in favor of Trask, it’s going to take Trask time to get up to speed. On paper he’s got years in the league. In reality, he is basically a rook once he starts playing in real games.
Fans will be hard on him, and will show no patience.
But he’s going to make plenty of mistakes at first. The thing to watch for is whether he learns from them and improves over time.
August 14th, 2023 at 5:23 pm
Personally, I’m foreseeing a whole new coaching staff next year.
I hope we keep Jason Licht though.
August 14th, 2023 at 5:40 pm
Graziano sounds like he got hit in the head a lot. That take is neither original nor informed. It’s the east narrative. If the Bucs can find a real RT, the QBs might just be ok.
August 14th, 2023 at 5:43 pm
We have a 1st place schedule and a last place QB situation what could go wrong
August 14th, 2023 at 5:44 pm
Next years draft is so deep with QBs that you can find a competent QB in round 2.
Regardless of how either QB performs the Bucs are going to be ready to bring in a young signal caller on a long, cheap rookie deal.
The problem with drafting of Trask at the time was knowing that you would not maximize his cheap rookie deal while Brady was still around.
August 14th, 2023 at 5:45 pm
You Bucs fans with PTSD are f’ing weird. Because the Bucs have never drafted a true franchise quarterback is not indicative of future success. I hope some of you with such low emotional IQ aren’t making critical business decisions in any capacity, ever. Your false equivalency conclusions is akin to saying that since the Bucs have never been to the superbowl before 2002 – then they will never go to the superbowl. ever ever. Do you guys not get just how asinine that is. And this whole, butthurt feelings over the mere suggestion of trading Evans or Godwin – get the f over it. Thats business. No time for your feelings ok. You don’t keep 31yr old receivers on a huge contract on a rebuilding team, and it would also be doing Evans a huge solid to potentially trade him to a contender. No one stays with the same team forever. Its rare. Brady and Jerry f’ing Rice changed teams ok, get over yourselves. And no I am not advocating for Evans to be gone – but if rebuilding is the direction you go, then he is one of the few assets on our team that can net a decent return thus allow us to then package picks to move up for a franchise quarterback. That is how it works people. Were some of you born just yesterday, my god.
August 14th, 2023 at 6:10 pm
Oh, boy!
Maybe they will tank to get the next Dilfer or ATM!
August 14th, 2023 at 6:13 pm
I agree with gofortheface:
If you wanna tank and rebuild, do it, gut the team and buy draft capital with the stars. No one would be off the table. Not Evans, Godwin, Wirfs, Vea, nobody.
If you do it, go all out, not half-a$$ed.
August 14th, 2023 at 6:17 pm
Before You guys do any more fantasizing about going out and getting a rookie savior in the next draft , take a good hard look at all the rookie saviors play from last years draft this weekend ,( many that some here wanted us to draft), the sizzle has turned to fizzle! All the quarterbacks we have outplayed them! Maybe , just maybe , We should spend some time developing and seeing what we got before we rush out to find next years savior, then the next, and the next, so on and so forth.
August 14th, 2023 at 6:25 pm
Baker will be comeback player of the year. Buccaneers will be 10-7 and finish second to Atlanta. May be a wildcard. Pay attention. This team is highly motivated. They are sick and tired of hearing about how Brady was the only reason they won anything.
August 14th, 2023 at 6:26 pm
Gofortheface
SPOT ON my man. SPOT ON!
Like a bunch of Cave People! Isn’t that the stupidest take that you’ve ever heard? It is for me! That’s along the lines of (the sky is fallin) Beware of the black cat. Walk under the ladder, your going to die! And absolutely believe every bit of it. SAD WEAK PATHETIC
Chicken chit fan base
And thats from the Silent Majority
August 14th, 2023 at 6:34 pm
JBM you could say the same for this here comment section nfl is missing the boat clearly
August 14th, 2023 at 6:43 pm
I think they should go with Trask. If he can’t get it done, you have Bakie to blow the rest of the Season.
August 14th, 2023 at 6:45 pm
Uninformed out of town dumb ass take.
August 14th, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Baker Mayfield is an undersized/non-athletic runt who thinks he’s all that. Stefanski dummied down his offense during his first year in Cleveland and ran Mayfield strickly on a boot/rollout system to maximize his very limited skills, and hide his total inefficiency in the pocket. Thereafter, the book was out when NFL defenses hemmed the small Mayfield in the pocket and took away the boot…forcing him to make plays. Mayfield proved to be an absurdly inaccurate passer who couldn’t get the ball downfield to his recievers nor could he see over the line to find them. Passes are routinely batted down at the line of scrimmage, and sail wildly over the heads of receivers. TB will see EXACTLY what Carolina saw last year in his 6 starts where he posted the worst QBR EVER on record. After Mayfield stinks up the joint and is benched, he’ll act the good soldier before demaning his release Carolina style to muffle his massive ego disguised as a chip on his sholder. Good luck.
August 14th, 2023 at 7:17 pm
Here’s the problem: what makes anyone think that the Bucs are any good at picking quarterbacks? Our stellar track record in the draft? You would have thought a blind squirrel would have been able to do better. Granted the draft they were picking in last time was not the best for quarterbacks…maybe the worst? It’s certainly included in the debate.
We almost hit with Freeman. Trent Dilfer? The rest of the picks are too horrible to contemplate.
Anyway, they’ll screw it up and win too many games.
The question is who the next coach is going to be once Bowles is ridden out of town on a rail. I think that’s far more important.
August 14th, 2023 at 7:31 pm
Joe Baker will not be I told you so moment he sucks Bruh give up!
August 14th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
If we can’t run the ball any better than we did Friday night, it won’t matter who is the quarterback
August 14th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
After rewatching and analyzing the QB play during the game, here’s the summary of every Mayfield pass.
1st- Threw behind Thompkins who had to make an adjustment to catch the ball. 2 YAC
2nd-Player fell down catching the low pass. 0 YAC
3rd-3rd down and 18. Baker passes for 5 yards.
4th-Complete to Edmonds behind the line of scrimmage -3 yards.
5th-Hits Geiger in stride 10 yds, 3 YAC
6th-Low, wide, incomplete
7th-Dump to Edmonds in the backfield, 3 yard gain.
8th-8 Yard touchdown pass to Palmer. DIME!! Nice throw.
9th-3rd and 21. Hits Geiger for 20. Geiger had to adjust to the ball thus 0 YAC. Bucs go for it on 4th and 1 and fail.
August 14th, 2023 at 7:44 pm
Well, there is a reason that some morons write about sports. They would be laughed out of the first real NFL coaching or GM-related office they ever tried to hold.
Why, Mr. Brainiac Graziano, would the Bucs need to trade anything away to get a top QB talent next year? According to most experts, there are at least ten if not 20 QBs in the draft next year that could be NFL starters.
And, of course, more to the point, if the Bucs QBs are as bad as you think they will be and the Bucs finish with a dreadful record, they would have their pick of the first 1-2-3 QBs in that draft if they chose to go that route – WITHOUT having to trade anyone!
Personally, knowing this team, in the event that the Bucs DO have a tragic record this year, they still won’t go for a QB with the first pick, since there is so much talent available. Instead (I hope), they would use that pick to find the best offensive lineman in the draft (probably a tackle) and use their next pick on a QB.
August 14th, 2023 at 7:58 pm
Joe … ‘So what are we talking about here. Just go get a quality quarterback next spring. First round.’
I agree Joe. Regardless of how this season goes, the Bucs NEED a quality young QB & this coming draft will supposedly be one of the best in years.
This team MIGHT make it to 10-7 this season, which’d get us around a #20 pick. IF Mayfield does well, he’s gonna want big bucks ($25-$30 mil range) and the Bucs won’t have that after re-signing several top players who we NEED even if we’re full-blown rebuilding (Wirfs, Winfield for starters). IF Mayfield does poorly, he’s a goner anyways. Trask only has 1 year left on his contract after this season. IF he does poorly, he’s either a goner or a backup. IF he does well this season, he’ll get to start next season, and that’d keep us from rushing a rookie QB into the fire.
Bottom line is that we’ve got to build around some key players, and a quality QB is surely the most important of those key players.
August 14th, 2023 at 8:08 pm
I thought I would start fresh and look at Baker with an open mind so I went to his 2022 game highlights.
Game 1 Browns vs Panthers.
Upside
If he has time in the pocket he throws a nice ball. He had 3 nice passes for long gains.
After seeing all his receivers from the 5 he tucked it and ran it in. No one close and Brady could have made it but it’s a score. It’s a plus.
Downside.
If you keep him inside the tackles and get some pressure the passes down the middle seem to be overthrown. One deep pass was picked and one was overthrown by at least 5 yards.
August 14th, 2023 at 8:17 pm
He fumbled 3 snaps.
He was sacked 4 times for holding the ball and one was a strip sack but he got it back. That’s another plus.
Couple drives were extended by personal fouls which helped and led to scores as they usually do.
They were in the game til the end. Cleveland kicker made a 58 yarder to win it.
Can’t say it was a stellar performance but he gave the fans something to cheer about on three great passes.
I guess with a lesser QB they could have lost by 20 so a two point loss is respectable.
August 14th, 2023 at 8:37 pm
No matter who is behind center they will fail and this team will fail because the offensive line is an embarrassment in spite of having a terrific player like Wirfs. This season will be ugly because it all starts up front and this oline unit is not competitive.
August 14th, 2023 at 8:43 pm
Drafting a Quarterback is a crap shoot, look at the last 10 drafts and take the Quarterback’s taken 1 through 5 over 10 yrs and about 12% have managed to be a quality starter in the NFL it’s even smaller percentage of those Quarterbacks to bring there team’s to a playoff game. If the buccaneers draft a quarterback it’s a 5 year rebuild for a 12 % chance of winning a crapshoot
August 14th, 2023 at 8:44 pm
We will battle Lovie for the NFL cellar. Do u realize we are couple weeks from the season and arguing if Mayfield or TRASK will start…..Bowls Curse.
August 15th, 2023 at 2:53 am
Why do you keep regurgitaing the “national medias” tanking BS?
It is reprehencible and against NFL rules. Not to mention rarely leading to success for anyone to include coaches and or players!
The NFL is eventually going penalize the offender by taking the draft pic they tanked for in the first place. Actually I think they already have although they gave different reasons for Miami losing their #1 last year.
Go Bucs!
August 15th, 2023 at 3:26 am
If only we drafted a 1st or 2nd overall pick quarterback in 2020 instead of Trask at end of 2nd round…we could have had our franchise quarterback , Zach Wilson or Trey Lance, and we would never have to worry about quarterback again for another 10.years!
So let’s follow the browns, dolphins, jets and be guaranteed an SB winner. Let’s tank for victory!
August 15th, 2023 at 3:48 am
Lets get real…Dan Mullins Gators coach was right on trask “It would fair to say 10 years from now if you look back in this draft, he will be one of the top-five quarterbacks in this draft.
“That would be my assessment because of his size, his professionalism and his accuracy,”
Let’s face it Trask has much more upside than Mayfield. Either Bucs let him develop here or like Steve Young or Doug Williams, he shows up elsewhere and is someone else’s franchise quarterback, winning SBs.
August 15th, 2023 at 3:58 am
If Dave Canales thinks Baker is the guy. It shows the needs someone to tell him what to do. Baker is a good manipulator of week guys. Narcissist are good at what they do. Trask runs 19 mph Baker 16.5. Trask throws about a foot taller. Trask under studded from the goat for 2 years. Baker proved he was horrible for 5 years. Though he always has an excuse. Trask had the 5th best #’s in sec history his senior year.
August 15th, 2023 at 5:43 am
So the 6’4″ GOAT Brady last season unperformed because our offensive line and running game sucked, so let’s draft a 6’1″ quarterback and the offensive line and running game problems will magically go away, because football is not a team sport!!!
August 15th, 2023 at 7:09 am
Tanking does not always work either. Even first picks don,t work. Tanking should be a last resort. The Steelers did not tank and found their successor to Big Ben in the late first round.
August 15th, 2023 at 11:12 pm
You guys are idiots! Mayfield will be fine. Geez glad I don’t play for TB! With this kind of fan base, they for sure aren’t playing for you negative ppl