Bruce Arians’ Ideal Developmental QB May Be A Second-Year Player
March 31st, 2021
Old target, and new target?
Immediately following Rounds 4 through 7 of last year’s NFL Draft, Bucco Bruce Arians said there were quarterbacks the Bucs had on their Day-3 draft board but “they all got jumped on early.”
So which QBs were they considering?
Joe brings this up today because yesterday Arians said now is the ideal time to get a young quarterback into One Buc Palace and learn under Tom Brady and a powerhouse staff.
Last year there were eight QBs drafted in Rounds 4 trough 7, the ones in which Arians said the Bucs had quarterbacks targeted.
Joe won’t list them all here, but the first QB off the board in Round 4 was Jacob Eason from the University of Washington. Ironically, big-armed Eason was compared to Tom Brady entering the draft.
Eason was selected by the Colts and did not take a snap last season and got little work in practice as a third-stringer during a pandemic season. And the Colts just traded for former Eagles QB Carson Wentz, who has big money locked into the Indianapolis salary cap for 2021 and 2022. So Eason sure looks like an expendable piece to Joe.
Might he have been on the Bucs’ board last year, and might the Bucs be willing to part with, say, a 2022 fourth-round pick for Eason in a draft-day trade next month?
If the Bucs really want a developmental QB, then why not go after a guy you liked who’s already had a taste of the NFL? Eason is 23 years old.
What about 2020 fifth-round pick quarterback Jake Fromm in Buffalo. The all-in Bills just paid Mitch Trubisky to be their expensive backup QB. Fromm didn’t play last season and now he’s an afterthought.
Was he one of the mystery QBs on Arians’ wish-list in 2020? If so, Joe thinks Fromm is in prime position to be had in a trade.
Man, Joe is so eager to see the Bucs put a promising young QB on the roster.
March 31st, 2021 at 9:40 am
Will be interesting to see how the draft unfolds and if QB is a real thought or just a smoke screen. Joe – what was the rest of the story with Josh Rosen ? 49ers signed him off the Bucs’ practice squad. Not much more than that. If Tampa Bay was really high on him they would have put him on the active roster. –Joe Did he simply not show enough potential to a developmental QB for Tampa Bay ?
March 31st, 2021 at 9:43 am
I would be interested in trading for Jake Fromm. It is telling that he chased off both Jason Eason and Justin Fields. Fromm is not as physically gifted as the other two quarterbacks, but Brady’s athleticism did not impress anyone either. Fromm might be the perfect understudy for Brady. I just hope Fromm is not another Aaron Murry or Eric Zier.
March 31st, 2021 at 9:47 am
k.trask has his pro day today….he reminds me of brady…
GO BUCS!!!!
March 31st, 2021 at 9:52 am
eason….get him
March 31st, 2021 at 9:55 am
i just scored a TB 12 molecule shirt off Tom’s website…
i’ve been wanting one and now it’s on the way…
#LetsAllLookLikeTomIfWeCan
#JohnnyHandsomeInTheMoleculeShirt
March 31st, 2021 at 9:56 am
I’m definitely warming to the idea of Trask.
Good decision maker. Good completion % and good size.
Hopefully I won’t hear that he is a football savant and scored really high on the Wonderlic!
That would just ruin it for me.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:03 am
Doosh, he actually didn’t score all that high on the wonderlic. His score was fine, but not high for a quarterback. I think he scored a 26 or 27 if I remember correctly which is the base low desirable score for quarterback position. As for the savant thing, that was everywhere. From whiteboard sessions to stories about grade school notebooks he kept…
March 31st, 2021 at 10:03 am
Obviously I’m referring to JW with my previous post.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:07 am
There was a point when Mac Jones seemed a possibility. Merely pitching the idea of picking him with our 32nd pick resulted in some scoffing at the idea of us getting a mediocre armed unspectacular prospect who is a “product” of all the talent around him. Now with 49ers trading up to #3 overall, it is highly likely he will be their guy. Moral of the story, we are beggars in this draft, literally scavenging on leftovers (which is a great thing). No QB prospect with a borderline first and second round grade is beneath us at pick #32. If we truly think a prospect is skilled enough to start for us for years to come, pick him at 32. I am hoping Mond is our pick at 32. There is a high high likelihood that even Mond will have his stock rise by draft day and a team like Patriots might end up picking him. Waiting until 2nd or 3rd will get us players with very slight starting potential despite years of development simply because of their limited skillset.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:07 am
Not feeling trask. Dude played small in big games, not a special talent, product of a good team around him….pass. Hard pass.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:16 am
I was hoping the Bucs would draft Season last year. A fourth seems a reasonable price for both teams.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:19 am
All the good QB Prospects may well be long gone, by the time we pick.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:24 am
Trask did not “play small in big games”. You clearly didnt watch him very much. The only game he didnt light up was the bowl game and thats only because most of the starters sat out the game.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:25 am
I like Eason, but I doubt we could get Fromm as we’re going to play Buffalo this year
March 31st, 2021 at 10:26 am
Jake Fromm sucks. Really really sucks.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:26 am
Steven007,
Thanks.
I’ll add that I also don’t want to hear that he’s “Pro Ready” either!
March 31st, 2021 at 10:27 am
Unless Etienne or a Devonta Smith type (obviously he wont, using him as an example) fall down to 32 – a grade A Bluechip, I think we need to keep it “boring” with improving depth on the Defensive Line. Whether its Jaelin Phillips, Ossai from Texas, or Christian Barmore or whomever – there simply isnt much after Jpp/Shaq/Vita/Suh, with 2 of those 4 not being here next yr. I’ve been personally banging the drum for BPA, but im kinda walking that back now because they REALLY need a few young studs up front. All due respect Anthony Nelson and all, but he aint it
March 31st, 2021 at 10:28 am
Id like to see the Bucs draft a QB. Maybe Kellen Mond or Kyle Trask
March 31st, 2021 at 10:29 am
I was hoping the Bucs would draft Season last year. A fourth seems a reasonable price for both teams.
I don’t see any difference between drafting a rookor trading for a decond- year guy if the prIce is close to the same.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:32 am
Let’s just sit back and see who is released around the league. If the Jets take a QB Sam Darnold might be that guy and I believe he already worked under Todd Bowles.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:33 am
@ gofortheface: you left out Gholston. He’s not exactly camp meat.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:33 am
My personal opinion is that it would be doing a disservice to the team, fans and city if you did not draft a developmental QB to learn behind Brady to set this team up for the future.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:34 am
I hate posting on my phone.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:40 am
Couch Fan Says:
March 31st, 2021 at 10:24 am
Trask did not “play small in big games”. You clearly didnt watch him very much. The only game he didnt light up was the bowl game and thats only because most of the starters sat out the game.
………………….
THIS!!! Dude threw for 68 tds to 15 ints in the 18 games he started!
Only bad game he ever had was the Oklahoma game where ALL of his WRs and TEs sat the game out. They really hung him out to dry if you ask me. If they all played and UF won that game he prolly would have taken home the Heisman.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:46 am
Cobra – Yes I love Gholston, but he may not be here after 2021 either. They need more men that can create pressure and get to the QB, and while JPP is a warrior, he gets nicked up, and the more I think about this – I think its a huge need. A guy like Etienne would immediately become the Bucs best back before he even plays a snap, and it could make the Bucs offense unstoppable, but we could avg 30-35 next yr without him. I think Arians mentioned yesterday that fortifying that DL and OL is their biggest need and I would have to agree
March 31st, 2021 at 10:48 am
Kellen Mond anyone? Has a cannon, mobile and did not throw a ton of interceptions.
March 31st, 2021 at 10:59 am
I would prefer to see Bucs draft front seven, and a project qb later in the draft. However I would not mind if bucs drafed Mac Jones.
The two best outcomes of the draft in my mind would be getting Mac Jones in the first and Patrick Jones II (OLB/Edge) in the second round
or Azeez Olujari OLB/Edge in the first, best defensive lineman available in the second and a QB in the 4th round
I am also intrigued by Jayson Oweh’s athleticism, but fear he is more of an athlete than football player (zero sacks in 2020).
March 31st, 2021 at 11:01 am
Did they have the wonderlic when Brady was a rookie? I wonder how he was rated by the draft wizards of the day
March 31st, 2021 at 11:07 am
Bucs have plenty of pretty skill guys, and deep.
They need more Big Uglies.
Big Uglies win games, and you never have enough.
March 31st, 2021 at 11:11 am
I know my brother would love to get trask being a gator
And he only bombed in bowl game cause almost all starting receivers and tight ends did not play
He put up 46 against alabama last year. No easy task.
He bowl performance dropped him to second round but i have seen in mocks for third too
In dream scenario bucs able to select 2 player in first and second rounds …and then move up in beginning of third to get him.
March 31st, 2021 at 11:17 am
Eason would be an exciting and intriguing addition.. REALLY liked him for the Bucs..
Fromm would not be as exciting but still wouldn’t hate the move!
March 31st, 2021 at 11:20 am
I liked Eason coming out of college. has more upside than Ryan Griffin
March 31st, 2021 at 11:23 am
Sorry gator JBF posters but Trask has a weak arm and horrible looking passing technique in the pocket. Lots of unbalanced throws. If we could fix that, I’ll take him in the third.
March 31st, 2021 at 11:24 am
Yeah, tell us ALL your battle plan, so we can plot against you. Really, dude?
March 31st, 2021 at 11:26 am
I liked Eason for the Bucs last year but they probably had this Brady plan in place before the 2019 season ended.
March 31st, 2021 at 11:59 am
I liked this kid last year….if we can get him, might be a good building block for the future.
March 31st, 2021 at 12:02 pm
I don’t like Fromm he didn’t have a good pro day and in college he couldn’t throw the long ball. Eason is a better pick.
March 31st, 2021 at 12:05 pm
Don’t like Fromm. Watched all of his college games and never saw anything I’d call special (that I can recall). I would love the idea of trading for Eason, but honestly I think there are QBs to be had in this draft with higher upside.
Either way, there has to be a plan in place post-Brady, so just bring in some young fun with a high floor and we’ll be better off.
March 31st, 2021 at 12:05 pm
young gun… I meant young gun
March 31st, 2021 at 12:21 pm
Isn’t Jake Fromm the one who got caught with the questionable text and had to apologize to his teammates?
March 31st, 2021 at 12:52 pm
lol @ Kalind 26/40 for 408, 3TDs and 0 INTs against Alabama in the SEC championship game is a really small performance huh?
+1 SB. Any Gator fan will tell you the defense last year was the difference in W/L not Trask. If anything, he was the only reason they were as successful as they were. Plus the fact that Trask was the only draft eligible Gator to even literally show up for that game speaks to his character.
He’d be getting more press if he was an athlete but doesn’t fit the “modern qb” mold. Who better to learn how to be a successful pocket passer from than the GOAT?
Whoever the Bucs pick at QB, if they do this year, shouldn’t be until at least round 3, IMO. Picks 1-2 are far too valuable for impact on 2021 to waste on a development QB.
March 31st, 2021 at 12:58 pm
Eason, yes. Fromm, meh. I could be wrong however.
This would be a lot easier than drafting a kid out of college. You have tape, can see their work ethic, and how they respond to challenges in the Pro world.
March 31st, 2021 at 1:03 pm
I wanted Fromm late last year. He gets rid of the ball quickly and had a few good years in college with high completion rates. He could learn a lot from TB12
March 31st, 2021 at 1:45 pm
Do gator nation a favor and draft trask on day 2 or 3. We don’t need another fsu pick-6 disaster and I can still taste the awfulness of Kenyatta and vh3. Need a gator success story a la earnest graham
March 31st, 2021 at 1:47 pm
The fact that Arians is now wanting a developmental QB after previously being opposed, tells me that Leftwhich is the heir to the throne. Remember, BA didn’t want to bring in a guy knowing he’d be leaving in a couple of years.
March 31st, 2021 at 1:50 pm
“Report: Colts’ Jacob Eason fell due to work ethic, accountability issues. Before being drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, quarterback prospect Jacob Eason was expected to go on Day 2. However, he wound up falling in the draft before the Indianapolis Colts selected him with the No. 122 overall pick.”
I’d rather the Bucs just use a draft pick this year on a QB.
March 31st, 2021 at 2:25 pm
If the Bucs wanted Fromm, or one of those Q.B.’s they could’ve drafted them. Don’t trade for either one, but if those teams try to put them on the P.S., sign them away. Other wise just use your own 3rd rounder for a QB instead of giving up a draft choice for one.
March 31st, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Fromm has no arm.
March 31st, 2021 at 2:50 pm
@Joe, this is a random thought. Do you have some inside information?
March 31st, 2021 at 3:03 pm
Kyle Trask should be the pick !!
March 31st, 2021 at 3:53 pm
There is just no way the Bucs should or will draft a QB in the first 3 rounds- sends a terrible message to all of the vets that just resigned about not getting players to contribute to another SB run! Players we get in top 3 rounds are expected to be rotational players or at least contribute heavily on special teams. Now if Bucs use a 4th or later on QB then Im fine with that but I suspect only Mond would be available at that point in the draft! This team needs DL/pass rushing depth first and foremost with another OLor rb prospect added for good measure. I would not mind seeing Bucs take the top pass rusher still left with #1, then going BPA at the other positions I mentioned previously!
March 31st, 2021 at 4:38 pm
Trask will likely still be there 2nd round and maybe even early 3rd
March 31st, 2021 at 4:57 pm
I heard Jake Fromm might be looking to get into the insurance business.
March 31st, 2021 at 5:49 pm
Agree Joe! I was high on Fromm before TB came to TB. Always thought Fromm reminded me of Drew Brees, so would be more than happy to see TB become Fromm’s sensei.
Jacob Eason reminded me some of Bills’ QB Josh Allen because he scrambles well when chased from the pocket, has a strong arm and pretty darn accurate on deep balls.
The staff at QBU (Quarterback University), aka TB & Bucs’ staff, could do amazing things with either one of these two QBs and there’s not a better draft year then this one to bring in a new student!
March 31st, 2021 at 6:48 pm
Bucsfanman: What tape is there of Eason in the pros? What would it say about his already questionable work ethic in college if the Colts trade him off after one year, for probably a lesser pick of where they took him?
March 31st, 2021 at 7:15 pm
Eason.
Get a QB like Brady, to learn from Brady!
Thats the smart move- that could pay off big in a few years
March 31st, 2021 at 7:47 pm
Trade oj Howard for Jordan love and let him sit until brady retires
March 31st, 2021 at 8:58 pm
Eason.
Get a QB like Brady, to learn from Brady!
^^^^^
Eason=Brady? Somebody has lost their mind.
April 1st, 2021 at 12:15 am
@IrishMist so he could introduce himself as “Jake Fromm, State Farm”
April 1st, 2021 at 1:37 am
I don’t know enough to judge either Eason or Fromm. Visually, Eason’s build reminds me of Trent Dilfer. That kind of concerns me, because Dilfer had very little touch on the football.
But that’s pure speculation. I think there is a good chance either one could be released after the draft.
April 1st, 2021 at 1:38 am
MP, now that was funny, lol.
April 1st, 2021 at 5:31 am
Trent Dilfer: 6′-4″, 225
Tom Brady: 6′-4″, 225
I’d say you can have the same build as Trent Dilfer and still be successful in the NFL. That said, if Eason gets traded after his first year, he’ll be on the same career path as Josh Rosen. That’s not good.
April 2nd, 2021 at 1:48 am
Eason over Fromm