Todd Bowles Has Kyle Trask’s Back
June 12th, 2025
Trask talk.
This week hasn’t been the best for Kyle Trask. He’s made some plays that he was supposed to. And some he wasn’t, only because he was trying to save his neck.
Joe doesn’t know how much stock to put into the following because it is underwear football (i.e. flag football without the flags, and positively no hitting of any sort). But dang, Trask was hounded by a pass rush too often this week.
The second string offensive line has been mostly garbage in pass protection. Too many times Trask was throwing the ball away to save his hide. No, there’s no hitting, but that doesn’t mean someone can’t make a mistake and drill Trask.
Just ask Ryan Jensen about mistakes in underwear football.
There was a play Wednesday where Joe has no idea how Trask didn’t fumble. A pass rush was on top of him so quickly and jostled Trask so fast he didn’t get a chance to plant. He held the ball high over his head so it wasn’t punched out. Trask then tossed the ball out of bounds after recovering his footing. It was not as much to live for another play, but to prevent someone from rolling him by accident.
And yes, too many times Joe saw Trask chased out of the pocket. And it wasn’t because he was holding onto the ball too long, though he did do that a few times.
(The practice squad warriors, Markees Watts and José Ramirez, were often all over Trask. Joe has no idea how to explain that. Either all of a sudden the magic pass rushing fairy sprinkled her dust over these two or the second string offensive line really, really needs work, and it does. Consider, allegedly, the two practice squad warriors who give Tristan Wirfs fits in closed practices but can’t bribe their way onto a field on Sundays. Instead, the Bucs pulled over-the-hill Shaq Barrett out of mothballs and later signed an expensive edge rusher, and drafted a talented pass rusher.)
So even though Trask had a very frustrating week, Bucs coach Todd Bowles still has Trask’s back.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence in Kyle,” Bowles said after a shortened practice this morning, ending minicamp. “He just needs playing time.
“It’s hard to play him when you’ve [had] two bona fide starters ahead of him since he’s been here. Just the more time he gets, the more confidence he gets.
“Preseason will be big for him, getting the reps down – we’ll take a look at him there, but he’s been fine so far.”
Joe sort of felt sorry for Trask, per Joe’s observations above. It would be hard for any quarterback to make a play when he’s surrounded by redshirts — before he can plant his back foot to throw.
June 12th, 2025 at 4:31 pm
And here I thought that our Oline had excellent depth this year. Hmmm, not so fast I guess.
June 12th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
I really don’t think it was so bad, he did complete many passes ,despite the rush , with no fumbles and no interceptions and he did the smart thing when there was no where to go, throwing the ball away so no yardage was lost, I wouldn’t call that a bad week , I would call it smart football.
June 12th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
I like that. He seems to know when to throw it away or check it down, but still push the ball down the field.
June 12th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
No NFL teams have 5 good O lineman backing up their starting five. That’s why if a team has 2 or 3 starting linemen hurt, they’re screwed. You can go without 1 or 2 starters for a period of time and game plan a bit around that if your team is solid otherwise and are playing teams without star studded D-lines. 2 maybe 3 solid back ups is what you mainly need.
June 12th, 2025 at 6:21 pm
“He’s been fine so far.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement
June 12th, 2025 at 6:37 pm
Joe… doesn’t sound like Baker or any QB would thrive in that situation. You’ve seen him in practices, but most of us have only seen NFL Kyle in the preseason games with second stringers – what kind of measure is that? If he plays with the same second string Oline in the preseason (as in this practice), how does that help his reps… or help Coach Bowles “look at him there”.
I suspect we will never really know about Trask in the NFL, unless he has to step in and fill in as QB1. His MO is to thrive in that situation. But can he do that in the NFL, a lot of us are wondering.
June 12th, 2025 at 6:46 pm
I think Trask might take a couple of games and then with all that he has around him 4 recievers, Cade for sure, and the running backs, the guys up front, they have his back. He should get it together you know. If you’re standing up back there you have got to make a few good decisions and do something. Let’s Go Todd nice little piece. Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
June 12th, 2025 at 7:12 pm
I agree with Jake above. Give a game to settle down and I think he would be okay. I’m guessing there’s a big drop from Baker to Kyle though. The real question might be does he make the team over Pratt?
June 12th, 2025 at 8:42 pm
Cue the Bazelak squad….
June 12th, 2025 at 9:25 pm
This guy Bazelak is like “Wild Thing” in “Major League.” You know, the pitcher played by Charlie Sheen? When this Bazelak is on the practice field, people on the sidelines have to stay alert.
June 13th, 2025 at 2:13 am
In other “news”..Baker threw three picks, to returned to the house. But, hey…
June 13th, 2025 at 4:30 am
Trask surprises me and I think most of us at times. Todd is right about his actual playing time and why it doesn’t happen.
June 13th, 2025 at 7:41 am
SPEAKING of Shaq, is he in camp?
June 13th, 2025 at 9:02 am
Who is gonna replace Trask? Pratt? Maybe but I doubt they signed Trask just to be trade bait or a Practice squad QB.
Go Bucs!
June 13th, 2025 at 10:55 am
Love the Wild Thing reference. Do you wear a helmet when Bazelak is in, Joe?
ROFL.
June 13th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
bowles just trting to be nice
June 13th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
trying*