The Buccaneers are continuing the evaluation process of their quarterback competition, one which has not been met with much fanfare considering the pedigree of Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask compared to predecessor Tom Brady. Both of the candidates are receiving considerable looks with the first-team offense. 
Tamp Bay is alternating Mayfield and Trask with the starters and backups during practice, as noted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Head coach Todd Bowles has, understandably, not been in a hurry to name a starter during the offseason with plenty of time remaining for one signal-caller to outperform the other. Trask said that he feels “the most ready” he has been to date in his NFL career, one which started in 2021 but has seen him attempt only nine regular season passes.
The former second-rounder has been pegged as the underdog in the competition so far, with Mayfield holding a substantial edge in experience and familiarity with the type of scheme being implemented by new offensive coordinator Dave Canales. A strong recent showing from Trask with respect to ball security, however, has helped him gain ground, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports.
A plan for how the pair will be used in preseason has yet to be sorted out, but exhibition games will obviously go a long way in determining whether Mayfield or Trask will get the nod for Week 1. The former acknowledged that earning a starting gig is nothing new to him, having had to supplant an incumbent at both the college and NFL levels. The Heisman winner and former No. 1 pick has not seen his pro career go according to plan, though, giving him signficant impetus to succeed with his fourth NFL team.
Mayfield signed a one-year, $4MM deal to compete for the starting gig after seeing his Panthers tenure flame out and serving as a Rams fill-in to close out the 2022 season. Winning the top job and delivering an encouraging performance would boost the 28-year-old’s value either on a new Tampa contract or on the open market next offseason. Plenty is yet to be determined ahead of the Buccaneers’ preseason opener next week, however.
“It’s been tight and that’s a good thing,” Bowles said of the competition, via Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times. “Obviously, you want players to compete for a spot. You don’t want anybody getting their spot. You want to earn your spot year to year. Both guys are having healthy competition. We’re just looking forward to the game.”
With neither passer standing out above the other so far, the situation in Tampa Bay will be worth watching through August. Considering the equal opportunities being given to each, a final decision on a regular season starter should not be expected for several weeks.
NOT splitting first team reps would be criminal at this point in the team’s preparation for the season, as it is pretty likely that both QBs will get real world snaps at some point in the season given Mayfield’s checkered history and the injury potential of the NFL.
The 2021 Browns had a great team, very good defense, great running game, and good WRs. The only thing that held them back was Baker Mayfield. Odell Beckham was right. He’s not a winner.
Odell Beckham was right once while a broken clock is right twice a day…lol.
Too small, not fast enough for the NFL, mediocre arm – feisty attitude and competitive nature will only get you so far. Much further in the NCAA than in the NFL.
Odell is ignorant and he has a big mouth, which is a bad combination.He plays for him only, not the team. He’s also quick to blame anyone but himself. Naturally he’s going to blame his QB because he’s never had to take responsibility for his actions. If he shut up and do his job he would be a much better asset.
Baker Mayfield could be a serviceable QB, as shown by his tenure with the Rams. For the past few (10 at least) Cleveland has had a team more interested in individual stats and not team goals. If the team doesn’t buy into the team concept you won’t win games because they aren’t working together. If they (the Browns) would quit trying to buy a Super Bowl by signing the top guy at every position and develop their own people I think they would be way more successful. Namely because the top guy be it a defensive lineman, wide receiver, or running back is the top guy by virtue of being selfish and getting the lions share of plays and playing time. You’ll never win with prima donnas playing for themselves and then blaming others when they lose
The Browns did commit heavily to a developmental approach by drafting 36 players between 2015-17. The result was 4 wins over that period, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they have now decided to approach other teams for the talent they need.
That’s when you replace your GM because obviously he’s not a smart football guy. Buying all the top players never works because they play for themselves, not the team. Draft well, have good coaches (something lacking since they started playing in Cleveland again), and stop changing your mind about how to run the franchise every year. Now, they owe their star QB 250 million guaranteed, who was the idiot who made that decision? Hopefully it doesn’t turn out like the Russell Wilson debacle in Denver. The Browns haven’t been a good franchise in years and I’m pretty sure they’re going to self destruct this year too. With the Bengals, Steelers and Ravens in that division the Browns can’t compete.
Whenever you have a young player versus an older player coaches tend to favor the older player because he protects the football right? “We’re going to start Joe Flacco over Lamar Jackson because he’ll protect the ball” but he really never did. “We’re going to start Mitchell Trubisky over Kenny Pickett because he’ll protect the football” but he really never did and so that’s kind of what’s going on. I think when you watch Baker play over the years he struggles to see when people keep him in the pocket, when they make him throw from behind the center when he can’t move around, has had a lot of passes batted down, hasn’t been making good decisions. Last year he was bad in Carolina and he was just as bad at the Rams except for the two-minute drill against the Raiders other than that and he threw a nine route. I don’t know where you’re going with Baker, just call Matt Rhule up Matt Rhule is probably not sitting in Lincoln, Nebraska today if Baker Mayfield could do anything for him in those first four games like you can’t deny that. I think if Trask protects the ball Trask has a good of chance as anybody because I don’t think Baker was worthy of the first overall pick in the draft and I don’t think Baker’s going to be able to beat out anybody.
I suppose the well established head coaches like Belichick and Reid can play favorites but most don’t have the job security to do that sort of thing. The NFL has long been a “what have you done for us lately?” league and if a player doesn’t perform up to expectations he gets a quick demotion on the depth chart or is released.
The battle of the year: Midfield v Trash
The less reps you give to your eventually starter, the less ready he will be. They should really start figuring out who their QB1 is sooner than later.
I think a HC needs to give his young players reps to do a proper evaluation but most veterans are pretty much a known commodity. You might need to give them reps if they are coming back from an injury to check on their recovery status but otherwise you just assume they already know the drill required to prepare themselves for the upcoming season.