A Window Into The Kyle Trask Mystery
February 7th, 2022
Bucs center Ryan Jensen.
Whether Bucs backup quarterback Kyle Trask, the lone signal-caller currently under contract for the 2022 season, is ready to take over for the NFC South champions (and for another few days, defending Super Bowl champions) is a great unknown.
The last time the rookie played in a real game was the 2021 Sugar Bowl. The Bucs kept him off the gameday active roster all season long.
So aside from slop preseason games and training camp practices when Trask was green as grass, no one outside of One Buc Palace has any idea what kind of progress Trask has made — how he looks in practice or if he is even ready to face live NFL bullets.
So last week at Pro Bowl practices at the Las Vegas Ballpark, Joe asked Bucs center Ryan Jensen if Trask can step in as the Bucs’ starter next season. Below is his full response.
“I think he is developing into a good quarterback,” Jensen said. “He’s got very good arm talent, obviously. That’s why they drafted him in the second round.
‘He’s come along pretty well throughout the year. Obviously not seeing live reps in practice. But he has done some good things in my view.”
Joe remembers during the season, in typical Byron Leftwich fashion, the Bucs offensive coordinator sang the praises of Trask like he’s the next Steve Young. Leftwich raved about all the things he does just like you’d expect from a professional and a seasoned veteran.
When Joe asked Leftwich if he could offer an example or two for fans, Leftwich declined and said he would rather keep that from public knowledge.
Look, Joe has written this: Joe has nothing against Trask largely because there is no reason to not like Trask (or like him). Trask is a great unknown, a big mystery.
You don’t often see NFL teams hand the keys to the offense to a mystery. Especially a team stocked with Super Bowl-winning experience and talent.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:00 am
Joe is it possible you need to ask QB coach questions about Trask? My guess is Byron and players were strictly focused on who was playing each week and not about a developing QB. Just a thought. You know better than me.
February 7th, 2022 at 1:06 am
Just win baby win.
Deshaun or Trask !
GoBucs!
February 7th, 2022 at 1:41 am
Why not? Big Ben did it. GO BUCS!! Go Trask! Or whoever our next QB is
February 7th, 2022 at 1:51 am
yeah ask clyde christenson qb coach tell him you want honest responses not the BL bs
February 7th, 2022 at 1:57 am
Jensen’s quote translated –
“If that dear-in-the-headlights newb is the Bucs starting QB in 2022, someone else will be snapping the ball to him because I’ll be a Steeler.”
February 7th, 2022 at 2:02 am
Jensen -Obviously not seeing live reps in practice
February 7th, 2022 at 2:06 am
Jensen hit the nail in the head. Not seeing him live in practice or whatever cant tell.
Wont know until trask hits the field.
Its all in licht court. What way he chooses to go. We got pro bowlers. We have talent. Where is licht headed.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:18 am
You see ESPN saying Lovie Smith is under consideration for the Houston HC job…
February 7th, 2022 at 2:22 am
Again, it depends on what the goal is for the season. Do they really believe they can win a SB “if they can sign a top QB”? Or do they look realistically at the mess, focus on long-term, and just compete?
If the former, good luck, because there are no top QBs who don’t require mortgaging the future. Unless they are super creative and land a QB in a trade who becomes great out of nowhere.
If the latter, they might sign a cheap veteran bridge on a one-yr contract to do as well as they can, then incorporate Trask along the way to see if he can take over. This is a .500 season proposition that would require another QB hunt in 2023.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:32 am
The big question for me is will the Bucs have decent a choice to make among who they find behind door number two, Trask, or Gabbert? No reporters claim to know yet either. We are all in the same boat. We have to wait and see however long it takes.
Yes, I’m enduring insomnia this night. 🥱
February 7th, 2022 at 4:41 am
The bucs have too much dignity to get tied up with the DeShaun Watson drama,I hope
February 7th, 2022 at 4:42 am
Brady was the best quarterback in football last year and without him we’re probably looking at being 9-8. It would be a small miracle if Trask is any better than average next year, so I’ll take 9-8 next year while this kid gets his feet wet. If he’s worse than that, then we’ll be in good shape to draft another qb in 2023.
Please do not ruin our teams future by bringing in an overrated, far too expensive qb Licht.
February 7th, 2022 at 5:07 am
Bring in Trubisky and resign Gabbert. You’ve got 2 former first round picks and a second. Hopefully someone will rise to the top.
February 7th, 2022 at 5:22 am
Thisisouryear!! Says:
February 7th, 2022 at 5:07 am
Bring in Trubisky and resign Gabbert. You’ve got 2 former first round picks and a second. Hopefully someone will rise to the top.
^^^^^^^^^
Trubisky and Gabbert were 1st Round picks who’ve played like 6th Round picks.
February 7th, 2022 at 5:25 am
Joe … ‘You don’t often see NFL teams hand the keys to the offense to a mystery.’
Nah, Super-Bowl winning coaches like Belicheck would never take a gamble on any ‘unknowns’. Oh wait, he did … twice, with Tom Brady & with Mac Jones. Oh the horror. How did his Patriots ever manage to go 11-5 & win the SB with Brady in 2001 or go 10-7 and make the playoffs with Jones last year?
Quality TEAM-BUILDING and competent COACHING find ways to make it work all the time. Unfortunately surrounding those same ‘unknowns’ with crappy teams and/or incompetent coaching can have the opposite effect it seems. On the good news side though, the coaches & media can always use that same ‘unknown’ as a convenient scapegoat. So there’s that …
February 7th, 2022 at 5:31 am
How much did Mahomes play as a rookie? One game in Week 17 after the Chiefs clinched and were resting players. Zero snaps in weeks 1-16.
Not saying Trask is Mahomes, but not playing when you have TB12 means absolutely nothing. We need to determine what we have in Trask now so we can decide if we need to draft or trade for a QB in 2023.
Contrary to what you may believe, the Bucs will have to tighten its belt with the salary cap at some point. 2022 may be that point as it will transition from a few older players to rookies or 2nd year players. Who are those players? JPP, Brady, McClendon, Gronk and possibly Suh. There will be others that will become FAs, but these 5 may not be on any NFL roster in 2022.
February 7th, 2022 at 5:51 am
If it is Trask, he will be surrounded by enough talent to compete. AND, it won’t cost the Bucs a fortune. This is a good situation for a young QB.
Signing vet QBs every couple of years is kicking the can down the road. At some point, you need to develop a QB.
February 7th, 2022 at 6:16 am
I keep hearing good things about KT2 arms accuracy and how he goes thru his reads. If he can put the ball on the money and keep from turning it over we should have no prob winning our division and going back to the playoffs but he’s going to need a running game and a good defense. Build the team around KT2 let’s go bucs
February 7th, 2022 at 6:22 am
He’ll get a cnance to compete, but I see Gabbert at least starting the season. The 32 year old former first rounder is well liked by Arains. He’s been in this system for awhile, and should already have a connection with Evans, Godwin, and other Buc receivers. He’s going to start, and hopefully have a Rich Gannon type ressurection. If not, Trask will get his shot.
February 7th, 2022 at 7:43 am
I agree that they just might go with Gabbert and ease Trask into the role…..this will be the best team Gabbert ever led.
Nobody will like that….but BA likes Gabbert, he knows the defense and is cheap & a FA.
February 7th, 2022 at 7:56 am
So, our players at the Pro Bowl should lobby for other QBs to come to the Bucs….and, “By the way, how’s Kyle Trask doing?”
February 7th, 2022 at 8:01 am
I have this strange feeling when everything is said and done, our new starter will not be Gabbert or Trask. Nor will it be Rodgers, Wilson or Jimmy G. He’s back…and not Brady – but Jameis… LOL
February 7th, 2022 at 8:04 am
To piggyback on what TBBF just posted. Indeed this is the best team Gabbert has played on by a mile. Once your a first round draft pick at QB it’s usually because by definition you’re going to team that sucked enough to earn that draft spot. Can you say Jameis Winston?
Gabbert is just a rerun of that and again “first impressions” are sometimes the last impression.
As has been pointed out plenty of QB’s have resurrected their careers when given the proper opportunity. Ryan Tannehill?
We have the core of a great defense. Draft more D…try to keep playoff Lennie and either trust Gabbert or let Trask have his opportunity. I trust BA to work that out.
February 7th, 2022 at 8:19 am
Nothing to worry about folks…Lefty developed Josh Rosen into the star he is today. Those 3rd round picks we were banking on for potentially losing Lefty and/or Bowles sure would come in handy this April.
February 7th, 2022 at 8:22 am
I can’t understand going with gabbert. Everybody knows he is not our future, but maybe trask may be. It would be an horrible decision.
February 7th, 2022 at 8:39 am
I don’t understand all the Trask hate I see from fans. He hasn’t played a single NFL game yet. The limited film we have from this past preseason looked pretty good. I will reserve judgement until after I watch him play a few games.
As far as signing a big name free agent QB like Wilson or Rodgers – sorry but it is not going to happen… We have too many free agents and not enough cap space.
Plus I don’t want to trade away our next two drafts. Not a smart idea for a team in rebuild mode.
February 7th, 2022 at 8:52 am
We could & should use this opportunity to get younger…
We will with Trask vs Brady….
Perhaps we will replace JPP, Suh, McClendon, Succop maybe even Jensen. We’ll see how things work out.
February 7th, 2022 at 8:56 am
Joe,
Are you inclined or allowed to share what you think Byron was talking about and preferred not to make public knowledge? Or would that be considered not in integrity for your profession….
If you have any ideas and feel like sharing, I’d love to hear it!
(Speaking of integrity too, are we ever gonna be able to hear the DeSean Jackson behind the scenes stuff that you know or is that off the table forever?!?)
February 7th, 2022 at 9:00 am
Bring on Trask, and let’s see if this coaching staff is worthy of your loyal praise. I fear they will ruin him like Nagy ruined Trubisky. On that note, I’d be interested to see what Trubisky is capable of when actually playing behind an offensive line.
Whatever Licht does, I sure hope he doesn’t break the bank and mortgage the future just so BA can try for a shiny knob to put on top of his retirement cake next yr, before walking away and leaving the team a train wreck.
February 7th, 2022 at 9:05 am
Let’s go to camp and see what happens with Trask. They’ll sign a Vet QB (I say it’s Gabbert) and let them duke it out in camp. We’ll have a far better picture then than we have now. FA is coming and the Draft. We don’t even know who will be here by then.
February 7th, 2022 at 9:44 am
I’m fine with Trask. If we can get Deshaun Watson, then do it. I know he got issues. So did Michael Vick. Both guys were talented before their situations and of course their situations are completely different. Watson is still young football wise and have already shown how good he is. No one is free of vices. Everyone makes mistakes. He and everyone deserves a second chance.
I feel the same way for Aaron Rodgers. My only concern is how long Rodgers want to play.
Either way I’m looking forward to an interesting season.
February 7th, 2022 at 10:49 am
DeShaun Watson won’t happen…thankfully.
Quick question: if Trask was any good at all, then why did they even need Gabbert last year? Hmmn?
I would think getting him ANY live game experience in cleanup duty would have been good if he looked promising.
February 7th, 2022 at 10:50 am
DeShaun Watson would reverse our culture in the locker room.
February 7th, 2022 at 2:42 pm
Trask has the arm talent and, almost more importantly, he seems to have that ‘Clutch’ gene.
That’s the only reason I’m kinda ok with throwing him into the fire…
That being said, I would sign Russell Wilson or Baker Mayfield
February 7th, 2022 at 5:32 pm
All of this Wilson , Watson or Rogers talk I have 1 question ? How are the bucs going to afford those quarterbacks? Where are they going to get the money from lol 😆 😂?? Yall not even talking about money this ain’t madden people!!