Bucs Concerned About Kyle Trask & “Coast Mode”

July 30th, 2021

It sounds like Gators fans or anyone else should accept that Kyle Trask is far down the Bucs’ quarterback depth chart and there’s little expectation for him to climb this season.

Who is a better source on Tampa Bay quarterbacks than Buccaneers QB coach Clyde Christensen? He was chatting with CBS Sports Radio this week and addressed the subject of Trask, the Bucs’ 2021 second-round pick.

Christensen referred to Trask as the No. 4 quarterback and explained that the Bucs will have a job on their hands to keep Trask supremely focused and developing.

“He’s been hungry,” Christensen said of Trask. “You know, we try to get our little extra sessions, him and I. That’ll be a challenge all season. How do we make sure that he develops? How do we make sure that we pour some time into him?

“And that’ll take some creativity and some effort on everybody’s part. You know, where he doesn’t go into redshirt mode and coast mode knowing that. ‘Hey, maybe my number’s not coming up this year.’

“‘A,’ you never know that and ‘B’ he has to progress this year. That’ll be a challenge for everyone.”

That sure doesn’t sound like a rookie QB ready to challenge for a backup job and perhaps, given ongoing virus concerns, the Bucs will keep four quarterbacks on the roster. Veteran Ryan Griffin is the current No. 3.

Perhaps more likely, as was discussed on the Ira Kaufman Podcast, is a mysterious injury conveniently landing Trask on injured reserve in late August.

No, Joe is not down on Trask. Don’t read between the lines.

70 Responses to “Bucs Concerned About Kyle Trask & “Coast Mode””

  1. SOEbuc Says:

    Licht f#cked up. I called this when he came off the board. Dumbass Gator fans are the only ones that are on board. He luckily got picked up by a team right down the road or he would’ve been cut already somewhere else.

  2. SB~LV Says:

    Well that is no surprise and no reflection on his future. Every QB in front of him have scads of playing time and in one case experience running NFL offense and reading NFL defenses

  3. gotbbucs Says:

    Joe, you interpreted that all wrong. If anybody read wrongly between the lines it was you.

    He said Trask was hungry and wanted to go, but they are pulling back the reigns on him.

    I for one think this is stupid on the coaching staff’s part. This tells me then that Blaine Gabbert is the heir apparent to Brady, and if not him, then Ryan Griffin, not Trask. You don’t draft a QB in the 2nd round and then make him inactive on game days and bury him on the roster. What was the point in drafting him then?
    If they thought that highly of Ryan Griffin then why draft Trask? This is the kind of stupid sh!t that pisses me off.
    What an absolute waste of a high draft pick then.

  4. IrishMist Says:

    Wentz appears to be out indefinitely for the Colts with a foot injury. Could we trade one of our surplus QBs for an extra pick?

  5. DoooshLaRue Says:

    Hey, we needed to pick a QB.
    Is he the one?
    Who the hell knows, but when you have a loaded roster you can take some chances right?
    The kid seems to have a decent head on his shoulders…… so there’s that.

  6. Joe in Michigan Says:

    SOEbucs: Who would you have picked? You know, so we can see how it plays out in 4 years or so. Sorry, but I trust Licht and his scouts over you, at this point.

  7. Medicated Pete Says:

    Licht REALLY screwed-up & pissed away this pick

  8. gp Says:

    The only two reasons I can see for Trask seeing any regular season playing time is if all three other options go down(heaven forbid!) or we have run the score up so much that we can afford to get him some “live” reps in the fourth.
    He’s a developmental QB.
    What a luxury!
    I think Clyde was just saying that it’s hard to keep an athlete focused on something soooo far in the future.

  9. Aceofaerospace Says:

    Coach speak. I believe little to nothing…yet.

  10. ir8oldman Says:

    Pete needs more medication… maybe some that work.

  11. Pewter Power Says:

    There was no reason to pick a quarterback just for the hell of it especially thinking Brady may play two more seasons. O line or safety or even a higher linebacker pick could have been better than this pick.

    I’m not saying he’s a wasted pick but if you have concerns about how he’ll develop during the season it’s not an issue you’d have with a linebacker who could play special teams. Might as well gotten a back up kicker, could have traded that pick and got it back for next year with an extra pick versus picking a guy who can’t outplay Ryan griffin

  12. SOEbuc Says:

    Joe in MI

    Uhhh…Anyone but this guy for obvious reasons. CB, OL, DL. We have too many good players and this fourth string QB is taking up a better players spot that might not make the roster. Watson was the leading tackler on ST last year and now he might be cut because this clown is taking up a spot.

  13. sasquatch Says:

    Why would anyone think Trask was anything more than #4 right now? He’s not going to #2 this year. There’s nothing new here, unless you’re a delusional UF homer and thought Trask was gonna lock up the primary backup job in year one.

  14. PassingThru Says:

    Wasn’t happy with the pick, when you have Brady you should expend all of your ammo to win now. That means using a second round pick on someone who can either make an impact now, or provide quality depth to shore-up a thin area in the depth chart, or at the very least, provide a backup plan if an expensive free agent walks at the end of the season. Super Bowl windows are very short, you have to go all out before they close.

  15. Swampbuc Says:

    He’s a bust. Was before they drafted him and will be when he is released, but he’ll make a good talking head on one of the 2870 sports hack stations out there.

  16. JerseyBuc Says:

    Why do people think he needs to be the number 2 or even 3, he was not drafted to play this year and hopefully not next year as long as Brady keeps playing. What good reason does anybody have wanting him to be the main “backup” if Brady is still on the field. Alot of you people don’t make any sense.

  17. Lamarcus Says:

    Oh so, they still cant develop a Qb? Maybe we can swing Rogers when he done in GB next year

  18. Oneilbuc Says:

    Lol 😆🤣 give him a chance Brady wasn’t ready to start when he first came. Yall talked about every quarterback that this team drafted. He has time to develop please don’t start yall negative narratives. He had some good practices and some bad ones. Even Brady looked bad today . Trask played good in college both years he started. I’m not surprised when BA is your coach look how many interceptions Payton Manning threw under BA and big Ben !! I don’t care what yall say Trask had 45 touchdowns to 8 interceptions last year and balled against Alabama !! Again if they can’t develop Trask than I believe Tampa is where young quarterbacks careers come and die . No more excuses for BA I told yall BA never developed a young quarterback in his coaching career. Trask is the future of the Bucs !!

  19. SOEbuc Says:

    JerseyBuc

    “Why do people think he needs to be the number 2 or even 3“

    If he had second round talent he could easily take over for at least for Griffin at #3. BA will die with Gabbert as his #2.

    Should’ve offered Tebow a job if we wanted a sh!ty Gator NFL QB. He at least won a national championship and looves Jesus.

  20. Im not tired anymore we Super Bowl Champs!! Says:

    What do we know.. I pushed for Winston, so we end up with Trask. The reality is nobody knows the next Brady. Glad to have a piece of the man. I will go down with this ship! Because he gets it…. Go Bucs!!

  21. Im not tired anymore we Super Bowl Champs!! Says:

    Oh and next question why did we draft him? Ignorance maybe? Welcome to the NFL. Go Bucs!

  22. Christopher Schiefen Says:

    Wow, a lot of angry people in here tonight. The simple fact is Trask is the heir apparent if he’s any good at all. And in a virus year, there’s no point “injuring” him, as I believe the (16 man?) practice squad now has a certain amount of players you can protect every week. I’m not sure Griffin’s sticking around at all, but clearly the team and the guys like him, so he’s gonna get showcased in the preseason to maybe get another job. And/or, he and Trask are on the virus practices squad. People in here don’t seem to realize Trask and Brady are the only QBs under contract next year.

  23. SlyPirate Says:

    This is old school QB philosophy. Get a guy and sit him for a few years. Not a Trask fan but this philosophy has worked for a lot years. Most recently Aaron Rodgers. Don’t be impatient. Remember Steve Young, Bucs Fans. What they should do is make him #2.

  24. Mike Says:

    Let the guy out from the attention!

  25. August 1976 Buc Says:

    “Perhaps more likely, as was discussed on the Ira Kaufman Podcast, what mysterious injury conveniently might land Trask on injured reserve in late August.”

    Joe, what is the limitations for Trask practising and learning if he ends up on injured reserve?

    No SOE it is not just Gator fans that hope this pick works out, but also me a lifelong FSU fan. It is not a wasted pick to BA and J Licht, they believe that the kid can become a legitimate starter in the NFL.
    As you know the draft is a crap shoot at best.
    lol I could just see you ranting to BA about why they should not have picked Trask, and BA just starting laughing at you, and telling you where you could go, lol lol

    GO BUCS!!!!

  26. Tackleblockwin Says:

    Very glad we drafted him. It’s up to the coaches to develop him. Plenty of time to do so. How can anyone not like the idea of having a rookie QB learn from the GOAT in the QB room and on the practice field?

  27. Joe in Michigan Says:

    SOEbuc: Pick a player, any player taken later than Trask. It’ll be a talking point in the years to come. I admit, I wanted the Bucs to take Quinn Meinerz in the 2nd, and they didn’t take him in the 3rd Round, either. I was influenced by the media hype surrounding Meinerz, and realize the Bucs have inside information that us fans aren’t privy to.
    I didn’t want the Bucs to take Trask either, but they did. So now I’ll hope for the best. If he doesn’t pan out, I won’t lose a minute of sleep over it. If he does, great.

  28. Bucfan Says:

    Y’all know so much why aren’t you gm for some team?

  29. Defense Rules Says:

    @IrishMist … “Wentz appears to be out indefinitely for the Colts with a foot injury. Could we trade one of our surplus QBs for an extra pick?”

    That’s be a significant hit for the Colts, but right now they’re not sure how bad it’ll be (sounds like he might miss a couple games though at the start of the season). But I doubt that the Colts are interested in Gabbert or Griffin as their starter, so I think our backups are safe.

    Does bring up an interesting point though. Tom Brady’s 44 and injuries are just part of the game in the NFL. So what happens if he goes down for any period of time? Could the Bucs still contend for another championship? Personally I think we could make it to the playoffs because the NFC isn’t as strong as the AFC this year IMO (7 playoff teams remember). Our defense SHOULD be good enough to keep us in games. Our offensive attack would undoubtedly change (with Gabbert or Griffin or Trask at the controls instead of The GOAT), but we’ve got plenty of weapons. Although ‘anything can happen’ once in the playoffs, the Bucs would have a hard go of it without Tom Brady.

    In any event, can’t see us carrying FOUR QBs on the 53-man roster. But the NFL approved a rule last week to carry over a series of 2020 roster rules designed to maintain adequate numbers if players are sidelined by positive COVID-19 tests. That may very well factor in to how the Bucs deal with this conundrum. This rules include:

    1 – Expansion of practice squads to 16 players, including up to six who have more than two accrued seasons.

    2 – The ability to protect up to four practice squad players per week from being signed by other teams.

    3 – Elevation of up to two practice squad players to the active roster, without removing any current players, before 4 p.m. ET the day before a game.

    4 – Elevation of an additional practice squad player within 90 minutes before kickoff in the event of a late COVID-19 positive test result.

    5 – Players placed on injured reserve can return after three weeks, rather than six as in normal seasons.

    6 – Removal of the limit for how many players can be activated from injured reserve.

  30. teacherman777 Says:

    I’ve been saying it all along.

    Why draft a 4th string QB with a 2nd round pick?

    Licht had the chance to shore up our D-line.

    Such a dumb pick. I love Licht.

    But he gets too cute in the 2nd round too often.

    2nd round picks are just as likely to succeed in the NFL as 1st rounders.

    2nd round picks are the equivalent to me as a first round pick.

    In the 2nd round, you can ALWAYS find a stud center, a stud guard, stud safety, a stud RB or a stud LB.

    The 2nd round is for these positions.

  31. Hodad Says:

    If he was the first pick in the 2nd round he would’ve went to high, put he was the last pick. He was picked right where three other QB’s were taken who’s teams had QB’s also. He’s closer to a 3rd rounder than a 2nd. If he pans out fine, if not we didn’t exactly move up to get him.

  32. Countrybrew Says:

    Just another lazy Gayterd! Reminds me of a Gayterd CB we drafted in the first round not to long ago. Lazy Lazy! No hard workers in Gainesville!

  33. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Many are hot & bothered by Trask being a 2nd round pick….think of our recent 2nd round busts….Aguayo, ASJ, Spence, MJ Stewart……I hardly think Trask is there yet…
    I do think it’s questionable to carry 4 QBs on the active roster & don’t understand why Trask couldn’t be a #3 QB….he certainly has the talent for that.

    Let’s see what happens before we panic.

  34. Jason Says:

    So after some O.T.A.s and a week of underwear football, the rookie hasn’t overtaken the veterans yet? What a garbage pick.lol.

  35. D-Rome Says:

    I agree with you DoooshLaRue.

  36. Beeej Says:

    This is just ONE pick…. As opposed to all the likely hall-of-famers he’s drafted in the last few years. I was just reading that the Jets just demoted last year’s #1 pick (WR) to third team. Look at the Jet’s history of high draft picks over the last 5 years…. Then look at OURS

  37. Durango 95 Says:

    Huge Trask fan when he played for my beloved Gators. What he did was special. On the other I never really saw his skill set as NFL worthy. Hope I’m wrong. And I do know that Tom Moore knows one heck of a lot more about the QB position than pretty much anyone alive.

    Including some dork on a message board that uses the term “Gayterd”

  38. Wild Bill Says:

    The Bucs can afford to take a long term approach. Barring injury Brady is a lock for two more years. So there is no immediate rush or pressure on the kid. Many an early round rookie bombed by being rushed into a starting job too early. This was a luxury pick for the Bucs. Gabbert has been injury prone. Griffen stuck in backup purgatory. Bucs need a younger Brady, tall, smart, for the future. If Trask can be a Brady clone, fine. If not perhaps an adequate #2 or #3.

  39. Mike Says:

    Trask is Griffin’s replacement as 3rd string backup QB. I don’t see any way the Bucs keep 4 QB’s on the roster.

  40. Beeej Says:

    At best, one of them on practice squad

  41. OrlandoBucFan Says:

    Interesting take from Christensen about Trask. I read nothing negative about Trask in that quote. Christensen was simply being honest. There is no intention to have Trask play this year, so the challenge is to keep him hungry and continue to find time to develop him. With the team being all in to win another Super Bowl, everything the Bucs do will be towards that end. Trask will need to be patient and focus on the long term. It is way too early to label him a bust. Our coaches drafted him because they saw potential in him. I’ll place my trust in their judgement. It is actually nice to be in a position to draft a talented player to develop rather than being desperate and being forced to draft a quarterback. Lord knows we have been in that position too many times in the past. Right now it seems like we are in a Seinfeld episode and it’s Opposite Day.

  42. allbuccedup Says:

    Both Gabbert or Griffin hasn’t exactly set the NFL on fire if we have to depend on them if Brady is hurt or eventually retires back to losing again.

  43. SOEbuc Says:

    Joe in MI

    I couldn’t tell you someone specifically off the top of my head anymore, but I could tell you we could’ve gone any other direction than QB. S, CB,OL,DL, ILB. Honestly I wanted to trade out of the first unless we got Tryon or Creed Humphrey. I got lucky.

    No reason why Bucs and Jason shouldn’t of worked their magic trading around for more picks and let Licht do what he does with multiple picks in the middle to late rounds.

  44. Kentucky Buc Says:

    The odds of developing a QB in today’s NFL are astronomical. Who was the last successful developmental QB. I keep hearing people throwing out TB12 and Rogers as examples. Might as well throw YA Tittle in if your going that far back. Wish the Kid luck but the odds are stacked against him.

  45. GCWB Says:

    I worried what would have happened if GB had picked someone that could help the team rather than Love. Maybe we don’t win the game. I have been to far too many blow outs for the other team in Tampa. Last year as season ticket holders we got to see very few games. No playoff games and as for the Superbowl the only option was 9000 a ticket. Come on already paid that to watch a game over in the first quarter. Trask threw to 2 first round picks last year. I bet they were significantly better than the guys covering them. That’s not the case even against the poorer teams in nfl. He was not worth a second round pick sorry if you are that high on him trade up in the 3rd or 4th. I want to see a winning team live should have done everything possible to ensure that given the ticket increases.

  46. rrsrq Says:

    Nobody thought Shaun King would play his rookie year as QB3.

  47. Aceofaerospace Says:

    I guess drafting Aaron Rogers in the first round was ignorant also since the Packers already had Farve, however you spell that name. I’ll trust the front office that just won a Super Bowl on this pick. Every draft pick regardless of position has a risk that they’re not that good or someone else was better. Look at Mr Pick-6.

  48. SOEbuc Says:

    Sounds like Joe has come of the completely clueless train with this post, but I have no room to talk for someone else. I just speak my mind.

    1. Tom Brady might be the last one of our great, older vets to leave.
    2. We have a lot of dominating vets on very short contracts (enter Tryon)
    3. This team is low on dough.
    4. We have a lot of young guys we’re going to have to pay BIG in the next four years.
    5. Is anybody still gonna be on this coaching staff in the next four years? Bruce hand picked these great coaches he’s been with throughout his long coaching career and it seems his coaching years seem numbered.

    But…F#ck it. It’s WIN NOW, right? The pads got put on today and I’m too hyped to be focused on the bullspit down the road when we got what sounds like one of the greatest rosters of all time today.

    GO BUCS!!!WIN NOW!!!

  49. tickrdr Says:

    Gotta agree that the Bucs should only draft quarterbacks in the 1st round like Dilfer, Freeman, and Winston.
    Only bums like Brees and Favre get drafted in the 2nd round.

    tickrdr

  50. ItzOK Says:

    Complete waste of a pick unless trask gains a hundred pounds and learns to play center.

    Should have traded it for a future pick. Load up on some draft capital so when Brady decides hes done you can go get trade up to get the number one pick in the draft and get your future QB

  51. geno711 Says:

    Just my opinion but SOEbuc is the typical poster that I dislike. He goes in full force on the 1st comment in the thread saying that Licht screwed up by picking Trask.

    Like to anyone in the world besides himself, he is a better evaluator than the Buc’s staff. When properly called out to make his pick instead of Trask, he cowardly declines.

    What I find hilarious is that he says that he cannot remember now who he would have picked. That shows you how much true evaluation he really has into whether Trask will work out. It’s a typical fan evaluation. Take these positions because I think they are a bigger need. The number one way to get a bad team. Pick for perceived fan need instead of talent.

  52. Old Gator Says:

    Tom Brady was drafted in the sixth round as the 199th pick. You can never tell.

  53. ModHairKen Says:

    This is a stupid article. Nothing was attributed to actual events. Just speculation about what may happen.

    Anyone who has followed this guy knows he busts his tail and competes.

    Surely there’s something more concrete to write about, Joe. And flag all of these “I told you so” commentators. They will be called out later.

  54. Buczilla Says:

    If a second round pick that faired well in the best college football conference (no other is even close and I could care less about the gators) can’t beat out two scrubs like Gabbert and Griffin, then somethings wrong with him.

  55. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    SOEbuc Says
    “Licht f#cked up. I called this when he came off the board. Dumbass Gator fans are the only ones that are on board. He luckily got picked up by a team right down the road or he would’ve been cut already somewhere else.”

    First, did you bother reading the entire post, or just went by the title?

    The guy isn’t coasting. Christensen was speaking in general terms that it can be a danger for a rookie who doesn’t get to play much.

    Personally, I don’t know whether Kyle Trask will be any good at all…no one does yet. I will say that it is 100% up to him. Only him.

  56. Bbro Says:

    looks like a bunch of fsu comments that still have their panties in a wod. I guess while Trask is learning let’s hope he doesn’t do stupid things at Publix or to college or uber ladies. Nuff said I like Trask has morals.

  57. Infomeplease Says:

    Trask was picked because the powers that be see an aggressive overachiever in him not unlike a 6th round TB. He wasn’t going to be starting soon with a healthy TB. Give him time to learn the playbook and adapt to the NFL. Then this discussion would be more meaningful.

  58. Gfunkwalter Says:

    So many experts. Yet so not involved

  59. Gfunkwalter Says:

    Addendum:
    Give the team a break. They just might know what they are doing. I heard through the grapevine that they won the SUPER BOWL LAST YEAR!

  60. Flyin Dutchman Says:

    wasted pick

  61. SOEbuc Says:

    geno711…what I meant when I said I couldn’t think of anyone I meant for there were too many other players at other positions I would’ve taken over this chump.

    The Gator fans are popping their heads out of the water, Joe. Crying like a bunch of KC or GB fans on Twitter. Too easy to spot. Might as well tell me to “win a real ring.” I’m not any kind of UF rival either. There was no need what so ever to draft a fourth string QB in the second round.

    I love Licht’s crew as much as anyone else, but they f#ck up in the early rounds now and then, and they f#cked up in the second round this year.

  62. Oneilbuc Says:

    Yall fight to much about what college the player come from. I can care less about what college he came from. When will this fan base come together and just root for all the players on the team?? What do yall expect from a rookie to do in only his first 3 or 4 practices in the NFL ? Lol 😆🤣 he suppose to struggle sometimes what about the good days Trask had why not talk about his good days as well !! Brady haven’t been good in every practice this year. That’s what I hate about this fan base yall already trying to set a negative narrative about Trask give him a chance he’s developing now . Yall blame Jamies for everything that went wrong with this team , and now yall going to do the same thing with Trask another scapegoat !!

  63. Joe in Michigan Says:

    SOEbuc: How about we wait and see how it plays out? Or is your hatred for this guy more than you can contain?

  64. SOEbuc Says:

    Joe in MI

    Uh…yeah. I wouldn’t be going off on how God awful this pick was if I could contain myself.

    And it’s the pick, not necessarily the guy. Wouldn’t give a sh!t if he went somewhere else in the second where a bunch of people wanted to give him four years to prove he’s a fourth string QB.

  65. SOEbuc Says:

    And please mark this because if he does become a Bucs QB that can give us a chance to the playoffs frequently, I’ll gladly string myself up at UF and hand out the tomatoes and lettuce personally.

    LETS NOT FIGHT. LETS WIN NOW!!!

  66. allbuccedup Says:

    After Brady retires in a couple of years, Trask will be the third QB to lead the Bucs to the superbowl, Johnson, Brady and Trask.

  67. Aceofaerospace Says:

    The good news is you can complain all you want about picking Trask. If you are eventually proven right, you can thump your chest and scream “I told you so” to the masses. Nobody will care, but you’ll feel sooooo important in your little world. On the other hand, if you’re proven wrong, you can just disappear like Ndog and maxi pad, sitting quietly waiting for the day the Bucs can be called losers again so you can return and tell everyone what you would have done differently.

  68. GoFor2 Says:

    At least he’s not out groping Uber drivers. Give the kid a chance. Gabbert and Griffin are not the future. Trask has that potential. In two years we will see.

  69. RGA Says:

    Poorly written article, misleading. Makes it sound like the Bucs are disappointed in Trask when in this case there’s not enough snaps to go around to excellerate his development. ??? Doesn’t sound like that at all. Sounds like you are reading too many comments. –Joe

  70. gp Says:

    allbuccedup Says:
    August 1st, 2021 at 9:29 am

    After Brady retires in a couple of years, Trask will be the third QB to lead the Bucs to the superbowl, Johnson, Brady and Trask.
    ************************************************************

    I hope the superbowl you’re speaking of is our fifth or sixth!