Todd Bowles Names 6 Summer Tone-setter Bucs
February 29th, 2024
“Look at that, Kyle.”
Todd Bowles was name-dropping during his Tuesday visit to the Ira Kaufman Podcast.
They came in a bunch.
Bowles spoke of the pride he has in his 2023 team, from coaches down to the players. Specifically, Bowles chose a Big-6 (without being prompted) that led the Bucs from the Tom Brady era.
“The players, especially the leaders that were here from our Super Bowl run. Lavonte [David], Vita [Vea], Mike [Evans], Chris [Godwin], Baker [Mayfield] with the new addition, Tristan [Wirfs] became a leader this year. And I think those guys set the tone early in training camp that we’re not going to bow down to anybody and we were just going to get better from there,” Bowles said. “We went over mistakes every week and, you know, the young guys had to learn that. But they developed a culture and a mental toughness that really helped us toward the end of the year.”
Interesting Devin White ommission, as he was voted team captain long after the start of training camp.
As for Mayfield being a Day 1 tone-setter in Bowles’ mind, that further cements Joe’s belief that Kyle Trask had a scant chance to win the Bucs’ QB competition — even if he had been the best summer performer on the field.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:22 am
Interesting that the same mistakes were made over and over and over and over.
Maybe coaches need to be more accountable for corrective action. The zone bust coverage scheme is an embarrassment. The blocking assignment breakdowns were hard to watch but we got used to it.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:23 am
Admittedly, I am a fan of Kyle Trask and would like to see him get a genuine chance to compete for a starting job somewhere in the NFL. It won’t be with the Bucs. Kyle was never going to be more than third stringer while Brady was here and there was a chance the Bucs could make a run for the Super Bowl. At this time last year, Todd Bowles was on the hot seat. No way he was going to roll with Trask, regardless of how Trask may have played at practices. Mayfield was signed to be the starting quarterback and any pretense that there was a competition was pure fiction. Licht even admitted there were days that Trask outplayed Mayfield, but the die had been cast, as Ira confirmed when his source told him Mayfield would be the starter before the first preseason game had been played. With all that said, I am happy for Mayfield and appreciate the spirit he brings to the game. I can see why the team has rallied around him. Trask’s day will come, it will just be in a different uniform.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:36 am
Honestly with Devin White, I kinda wonder if there’s a drug problem there. No way for me to know and not trying to troll up rumors. (His reputation is already garbage now for being a quitter and a headcase anyway, which seem worse to me.)
No evidence but it just reminds me a ton of erratic behavior and where success overnight turns to failure… I’ve seen it happen similarly in people I’ve known struggling with that.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:37 am
even if he had been the best summer performer on the field.
…..
Stop feeding the animals Joe, they will hold on to this as Trask should be the starting QB for the next 10 years.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:46 am
Time will tell if the Bucs made the correct decision by not truly giving Kyle a chance to win the #1 spot. Mayfield led the team to a playoff win and turned around the next game and ended the season with a pick, when the team needed him to make a play. More than likely Trask will move on to another team without really playing at all with the Bucs, so we won’t really know if the correct decision was made for a few years to roll with Mayfield.
February 29th, 2024 at 10:07 am
Time has already told that.
February 29th, 2024 at 10:08 am
Go Bucs
February 29th, 2024 at 10:31 am
Wish that ‘fans’ (and Joe) would give the Trask thing a rest. There’s a lot more to being a starting QB than just having the physical skills to make plays. Intangibles like leadership & the capability to rally guys why times get tough count for a LOT, especially with coaches like Todd Bowles.
I’m convinced that Kyle will get a shot … one day & with another team … at starting. How well he does is anyone’s guess at this point since he’s ridden the bench here for 3 years now. But I’m glad he’s one of our backups right now (along with John Wolford) because he knows the system & the players. I’m reluctant to believe that any QB who plays as aggressively as Baker does will get through 17 games plus the playoffs unscathed. But hopefully he does.
February 29th, 2024 at 10:41 am
Licht gave some meat to the Trask mob on PFT
February 29th, 2024 at 11:09 am
Why Not – Hi Trask fan desperately clinging to a few decent days of practice as if that would some how translate to 4 thousand yards 30 touchdowns and 10 picks, with a 300 yard passing game in the DIVISIONAL ROUND if the playoffs. No way, no how, no chance. And speaking of chances – his chance will not come. Not with us, not with another team, not ever.
February 29th, 2024 at 11:11 am
I only saw high lights from Trask’s last year at UF which honestly looked great. He’s got better targets with the Bucs then what he had with the gators could be a good fit. I wasn’t a baker fan at 1st. Just didn’t really like his attitude when he was with the browns but that could have bin just the media. I become a baker fan this year with the way he puts his life on the line scrambling a round and being able to make plays. Deff glad he’s starting. He has had some bad games but I was really hoping we kept the whole band together to see what he could do with a 2nd year of the same players and play caller. Maybe that’s what would make him consistent. Also trask did give baker a run for his money in the offseason last year which prob made them both better. My only question is how long can baker play for with his aggressive style of play ? All these run around QBs don’t have long careers and miss multiple games a year.
February 29th, 2024 at 12:12 pm
Where were the player leaders during the bye and the games we lost right after the bye? The story is that the 3-1 start swelled the heads of the young guys. The leaders and coaches didn’t step up during and after the bye.
February 29th, 2024 at 12:58 pm
This team ran on pure chip on shoulder energy and mentality to start the season, and it was enough to outpace the competition. This season that chip is expectation, and with less drama, and an identity, I think these guys are primed for another successful season. When Bowles was picked over Lefty, I was expecting a mad scientist tinkering on the defensive side managing the margins to enhance an established offense. I think we may finally have that this season. I can easily see Bowles dialing up the blitz with a whole new crop of defensive players. Crazy to say, but this team has a decent chance of making the playoffs five seasons in a row.
February 29th, 2024 at 2:47 pm
From a purely logical business standpoint, Licht or Bowles or anyone else is, of course, going to speak highly of Trask’s abilities whether he truly out-performed Mayfield or not. If for no other reason, he’s prime trade bait. A 2nd rounder who hasn’t shown to be a boon or bust on the field, surely some team would take a risk on him in exchange for a veteran player or draft pick(s).
As for leadership, the theme of this here post, Trask seems like a nice guy but not “alpha”. It would be like casting an action movie with Timothy
Chalamet instead of Jason Staham
February 29th, 2024 at 2:53 pm
Practice is just that practice it’s actual live games especially pre season games that tell the true facts there was no comparison between Trask & Mayfield in live games baker was clearly the guy u can’t see pin nonsense & look at our season we surely had the rite guy under center.that wud b like saying Brady last season was poor so the back up shud have taken over & bench the starter that ain’t happening so glad they bought baker at the rite time
February 29th, 2024 at 2:56 pm
have u noticed all the web sites on line who is the most talked about QB of all the NFL starters it’s by far Mayfield cause there is always something to talk bout isn’t that what every teams motivation is keep them in the limelite money money money
February 29th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
They mishandled kyle trasks career and I hope like he’ll Kyle is the qb with whatever team to keep the bucs from ever winning another division title and make zero playoff games!!!
February 29th, 2024 at 5:51 pm
Yo… BakerBucs aka… BakerRedRaider, BakerSooner, BakerBrowns, BakerKitten, BakerRamLaLaLand.
Bucs fans need Trask and Wolford to be solid backups. We may or may not have to use them. If Trask has to step in and rocks it, we Bucs fans won’t cry about it. Oh yeah, its called supporting the whole team.
February 29th, 2024 at 6:29 pm
Does it tell you anything about Kyle Trask that Jason Licht said there’s been no trade interest in him? To put it in context, there’s rumors that the Washington Commodes could get a 3rd Rounder for Sam Howell. You know, the guy that’s the same height as Baker Mayfield?
February 29th, 2024 at 6:41 pm
Kyle Trask is a much cheaper option at QB right now. We have seen it enough times where a player leaves one team & becomes a star on another team. Kyle is 6’5″, has a strong arm & can make all the throws. You don’t invest a 2nd round pic on a player to be a career backup. You give the guy a chance & if it doesn’t work out, you move on. At least this way they will know 🤔
February 29th, 2024 at 11:27 pm
Kyle Trashk is a one read stare down his receiver QB. He was at FL throwing to Pitts, Toney, Pierce – NFL guys. He often pegged defenders right in the numbers. He sucks in the NFL, and don’t come with the “we need to see what we have” BS. The coaches, players, and Licht have seen what they have every day for three years. Please stop with thinking his FL record is transferable and accept that in a competition with Mike Glennon, Trashk would come out holding the clipboard.
February 29th, 2024 at 11:48 pm
Im sure Trask was much better in Camp, yet Bowles liked Mayield as a cheerleader- so started him instead!
After all, Coach Bowles had such great job security, that he wasnt concerned about winning.
Trask had no chance of ever starting for any NFL team. The Kid hasnt got the arm.
Perhaps some Reporters thought that Trask was outplaying Mayfield.
It wasnt so.
Baker Mayfield is about to become a highly sought after, highly paid Top NFL QB.
If Trask plays out the last year of his contract- its only because hes cheap, and Licht doesnt want to admit Trask is a bust.
Next Year, Kyle Trask will be selling Insurance. Mayfield will be making 40 mil a year
March 1st, 2024 at 12:09 am
Kyle Trask is a special talent and anyone that actually followed his UF career closely knows that. He broke records against top SEC corners, many of which are now in the NFL. Pitts and Toney have both been a bit disappointing in the NFL so far. Many thought they made Trask and it might be the other way around. Trask is very accurate and efficient.
The Bucs are dumb for not letting Trask start last season to at least see what he could do with the staters and getting experience. Instead the Bucs know how the worst case scenario – Baker playing mediocre but not great and being stuck with giving him a huge contract.
I ask any true fan…. LOOK CLOSELY at Baker’s stats from the season. They’re actually not that impressive against the better teams. Even against weak teams with a losing record he often struggled and threw low yards in the first half. Many of his passing yards came in the 2nd half, often when the Bucs were down multiple scores and teams played prevent and softer coverages.
March 1st, 2024 at 7:20 am
“even if he had been the best summer performer on the field”
He did. According to your articles after training camp had ended – two of them – Trask outplayed Mayfield in training camp. But, just before the first preseason game, Ira reported that Mayfield had been gifted the job. It was all a crock.
March 1st, 2024 at 6:44 pm
Dave pear yeah he threw to NFL guys.. guess where he is now.. the NFL. Guess who set Floridas single season pass yards record… Kyle Trask. Your claim that he always threw into defenders numbers is completely made up. All the Gator haters on here would rather see Trask sit than see what he can do. What a bunch of clowns. And anyone who wants to talk about how much better baker is… just look at the last play of the season. That is who Baker Mayfield is. Choked the season away with time to spare.
March 1st, 2024 at 7:46 pm
Capt Tim we also have to suffer with his caustic, vile, foul and estrogen filled male cheerleaders fans. They have brought the quality of this website down to a crucible where the fanbois congregate. I can see why the Browns got rid of them.
March 1st, 2024 at 8:03 pm
Trashk is a special talent? LOL!
He overachieved with NFL caliber weapons at FL, against mostly bartenders and lawn service guys. You idiots that use his college performance as “proof” that he’s some awesome talent are showing upur ignorance like a baboon shows its arse. You’re cute though.
March 2nd, 2024 at 2:25 pm
The continued ideological argument over who should be the Bucs qb is kind of bizarre. By all accounts, Trask is a good guy (maybe noicer than Baker?), but to revere him as a ‘special talent’ is a little much. This has to come from his college performances of which I’ve only seen one. Trask’s college record was very good, Mayfield’s was much better. The one I saw was the 2020 Cotton Bowl – ironically against OU. I know UF was down some good players so the score was not close. But beyond that, Trask threw THREE first quarter interceptions when he was not even under pressure. It was abysmal. Could be why come shy from coronating huim as an NFL starter.