Carson Wentz And The Bucs
February 16th, 2026
Backup material.
The more Joe thinks about it, the angrier Joe gets.
Look, who doesn’t love Baker Mayfield’s devil-may-care style of play? It’s fun and Joe is confident Mayfield won two, maybe three games for the Bucs before the bye, primarily on heart and guts.
That’s the kind of guy you want leading your team. But there’s a catch, to quote former Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians on quarterbacks.
“Put yourself in harm’s way, harm will find you.”
And that’s exactly what happened with Mayfield after the bye last year, Joe is convinced. Mayfield was not the same player after the bye (technically, Mayfield was a shell of himself in the win at New Orleans right before the bye).
Why the Bucs allowed Mayfield on the field when he couldn’t perform frosts Joe. Why get him more injured? Why use a quarterback who is little more than a warm body, especially in a playoff chase?
The only logical reason is the Bucs didn’t trust Mayfield’s backup, Teddy Bridgewater. And if that’s true, then why in the world was Bridgewater even eating up a roster spot?
Thinking of that makes Joe twist and turn at night.
Joe doesn’t want to take the Baker Mayfield out of Mayfield. He’s dangerous because of what he can do with his feet. But that also puts him in harm’s way (see Arians’ quote above).
Running quarterbacks don’t get less brittle when they reach the wrong side of 30. So if the Bucs are going to ride or die with Mayfield and his intense will to win, they better get ready for the dark side.
Sadly in the NFL, there are no good backup quarterbacks, at least not for long. If the backup is any good, he will be starting somewhere making a lot more cash. So when looking for a backup, the key is finding one less awful.
Joe is thinking about veteran Carson Wentz. The former starter has bounced around the league since he was last a starting quarterback at Indianapolis in 2021.
Wentz hasn’t been horrible. Last year in five starts with Minnesota, Wentz was 2-3. For a starter, that’s poor. For a backup, that is very serviceable.
And that’s what the Bucs need. If (when?) Mayfield gets hurt, Wentz could maybe win a couple of games and get the Bucs over the hump until Mayfield is healthy enough to be effective.
At least with Wentz, if (when?) Mayfield does get hurt, the Bucs won’t have to worry about throwing the season away because they don’t trust their backup.
Allegedly.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:05 am
I’m with JBF on this. Yeah, we’re in deep trouble if we lose our starting QB, though I have my reservations about Baker in that context, but perhaps those reservations have everything to do with this guy playing banged up when he shouldn’t. This is the same warrior spirit that sent him packing from Cleveland.
Given Baker’s style of play, he is not better at 70% than a backup at 100%, though one could argue backup QBs aren’t what they used to be just 10 seasons ago. We need someone we are confident enough in that still plays with some fire, unlike Bridgewater. Heineke not available? Kids got juice and is a fighter. He’d thrive as a backup in this offense.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:09 am
Bring Jameis as a backup, at the very least he gives them a chance, and is very entertaining.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:14 am
“Now why the Bucs allowed Mayfield on the field when he couldn’t preform frosts Joe. Why get him more injured? Why have a quarterback on the field who is little more than a warm body, especially in a playoff chase?”
All of this based off the presumption that Baker was hurt and that effected his play being inconsistent from week 7 on to the end of the season, is wild.
Now, all of a sudden, we need a starting quality backup QB, because presumably it’s injuries, or the offensive guards, or WRs not getting separation that made Baker a combined 54% completion rate in our last 11 games combined.
Pass on Wentz, go get me Jack Strand
February 16th, 2026 at 9:16 am
I would take Wentz over Bridgewater.
The idea of bringing in Jameis is a bad one. If you hate Mayfields picks, it would be worse with Winston.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:29 am
we watched mr happy feet for 5 years, that wasnt painful enough?
February 16th, 2026 at 9:29 am
So, we went into last season with No solid backup QB and not an Edge Rusher in sight. In addition to a LB core that was old and shaky in Pass Coverage, and we think that Jason Licht is all that? Does he not see what everybody else sees? Is he going to neglect critical pieces again this year?
February 16th, 2026 at 9:33 am
It was akin to malpractice when Bridgewater was signed.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:33 am
Warren Brooks Lynch Says
“Pass on Wentz, go get me Jack Strand”
I could live with him as a late rounder, but there is no way he would become the #2 under Bowles…or any other older head coach. Older guys qlway want established veterans as starters and second stringers.
Strand would end up on the practice squad.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:36 am
Would rather have Gardener Minshew.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Joe did Ira write this article. The most important player on the team is the backup quarterback. But no really we definitely need a serviceable qb which we haven’t had apparent in years.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:40 am
Bring Winston in to play tight end!
February 16th, 2026 at 9:44 am
Free agency will be telling. Do the Glazers and Licht think this team can go deep this coming season? Will Licht spend money on sure-fire starters at edge, ilb, …?
My bet is that Licht will go to the Dollar Store to shop for FA’s. Another .500 season – or worse – with Bowles and no impact free agents.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:47 am
They could bring in anyone and be an upgrade over Grannie Two Gloves.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:50 am
Please, not Wentz!! He’s horrible. I’d take Tyrod Taylor or Joshua Dobbs for backups before Wentz. And please,no mas no mas, Jameis. He’s still suffering from H1N1, my bad, INT 30/30. Tyrod is much better that Wentz n current backup Teddy Bridgewater. And, Bucs coaches gotta remind Baker of the movie the Gambler. You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run, PERIOD.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:10 am
Truth be Told Says:
“So, we went into last season with No solid backup QB and not an Edge Rusher in sight. In addition to a LB core that was old and shaky in Pass Coverage, and we think that Jason Licht is all that? Does he not see what everybody else sees? Is he going to neglect critical pieces again this year?”
🏈 Teddy Bridgewater was someone Bowles wanted for years. Mayfield had avoided serious injury at the time, and letting Bowles choose the backup he wanted was reasonable…at the time.
🏈 There was a pass rusher….Riddick. He was unhappy with his previous team, so it was a reasonable gamble to think a change of scenery would have kick started his production again. Personally, I was against Riddick coming…he quit on his previous team and that was a big red flag…but…at the time, there was no clear better option, so I understood the move.
In both cases, it was up to the players to prove they belonged. They were given opportunities.
As to Jason Licht, the comments irked me because I have scene those types of comments all off season. It’s not completely your fault. But they come from a lack of understanding.
🏈 In today’s NFL, you must build the offense first, unless the defense is already in place. This is especially true if you have a competent QB. Build around him if you want to succeed…and build it with focus. That, unfortunately, means neglecting the defense in the draft for several years. Unavoidable.
🏈 In addition, because the Bucs went all-in with Brady…bringing in Shaq, Suh, JPP, Gronk and Brady himself…and making sure we had a great offensive line and great WRs, it limited cap space once that run was over. Now, Jason Licht did a great job of recovering from the dap issues quickly, but…they did limit free agency spending for 2-3 years.
🏈 During that time, he brought in Mayfield and was forced to build a new offensive line and draft new offensive talent…because he had to build around Mayfield. It was the right move, because we won the division 3 times as a result, but it meant neglecting the defense for several years (in draft AND free agency because of the cap).
🏈 Finally, last year, Jason Licht was able to truly START on the defense. I say “start” because there is no way to completely rebuild a defense in one year through the draft. It took years to build the offense, expecting the dense to be done in one year was unreasonable.
🏈 And finally, development. It is a big part of the NFL. Fans hate it. Fans are impatient. They want instant results, and when they don’t get them, they want heads to roll. But… that’s the wrong move. There are a lot of examples to prove it is the wrong move too.
For example, because Ronde Barber took so long to become great (5 years), there were fans who wanted rid of him during his first 3 years. He developed into the best CB we’ve ever had. Development.
Incidentally, Rich McKay left the team with huge salary cap issue. He ran up the bill then bailed on the team. He also traded away our high draft picks. So Bruce Allen was forced to build through free agency…with very little cap room. The cap issues were so bad the team didn’t recover until Mark Dominick took over years later.
So the fact that Jason Licht managed to recover from going all in for a Superbowl within 2-3 years was amazing, and he got us a ring without trading away our draft picks, unlike McKay.
While jo GM is totally perfect, Licht is among the very best.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:16 am
Bad typos in that one
February 16th, 2026 at 10:20 am
Beating a dead horse but I don’t think Trask would have looked as scared, lost and confused as Bridgewater did in his 1/2 game.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:22 am
“I could live with him as a late rounder, but there is no way he would become the #2 under Bowles…or any other older head coach.”
Eh, we didn’t go pull our QB coach from the Hoosier for an established vet, outside of Mayfield. I still think Whitmer is here to soften then landing for any young QB we’d pull out of the draft or off the UDFA Market.
I keep checking to see if Strand has been invited to the combine, but I don’t think he’ll be there. I’m going to keep on the eye out for his pro day for sure.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:28 am
Bring Winston home, the players love him. Great locker guy, great back up for mayfield.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:29 am
Who brought in Teddy? They should have been fired. Licht? Bowles?
FIRED. These guys are losers and everything they touch minus Brady(who touched us) turns to crap.
Gonna be a long year
February 16th, 2026 at 10:32 am
@bonzai – how do you type all that with Licht’s junk in your mouth?
February 16th, 2026 at 10:45 am
But I thought if you lose you’re starting QB you have no chance to win anyway.
Seems like a Joe preached that for years during the lost decade……..
February 16th, 2026 at 10:46 am
Davis Mills from the Texans. Not sure but I thought he was just on a 1 year extension with them. Started some in his career. Solid backup .
February 16th, 2026 at 10:51 am
Zack Wilson will be our backup QB in 2026
February 16th, 2026 at 10:55 am
Decision to pick Bridgewater over Trask was GM Malpractice
February 16th, 2026 at 11:07 am
We’d have to actually trade for Winston
February 16th, 2026 at 11:12 am
“Zack Wilson will be our backup QB in 2026”
The Cougar Hunter
February 16th, 2026 at 11:20 am
I can’t even believe Bowels thought he could win with some of the decisions made last year.
Dude is Old, overweight and the game has passed him by.
Great man, good DC, Bad HC.
Gotta pull for the Bucs but dang.
Wake me when Crosby signs!
February 16th, 2026 at 11:23 am
I rather start Connor Bazelak in a pinch over wentz.
February 16th, 2026 at 11:24 am
As long as he’s on a cheap contract….still need to draft one to get sttarted in the wings though….my vote is sawyer robertson, 4th or 5th.
February 16th, 2026 at 11:30 am
Letting Trask go for Bridgewater has got to be one of the dumbest moves I’ve ever seen an organization do.
Bridgewater literally said he could care less about playing football, he’s only doing it for the paycheck.
That’s the antithesis of “I AM THAT MAN”. SMH
February 16th, 2026 at 11:37 am
Still believe that. Just not expecting Mayfield to be put out of commission for an entire season.
The Bucs of the past had really good luck with quarterbacks health. Now, they are riding with a quarterback who often gets hurt.
February 16th, 2026 at 11:39 am
Wasn’t like teams were falling over themselves to sign Trask.
February 16th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Fully agree with your assessment
February 16th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
I’d rather pay for Willis than Crosby. Baker is going to get hurt sometime and paying 60mil for him isn’t going to work either.
February 16th, 2026 at 12:46 pm
Is Jacoby Brisset available? Him or Minshew over Wentz.
February 16th, 2026 at 12:50 pm
hey bonzai, put the the bong down. you can defend licht all you want. THAT’S HIS JOB to improve the team thru smart drafting and FA signings. what about retaining bowles ????? that’s the dumbest move by any gm in recent sports memory. you can draft and sign an all-star squad, but if you have an idiot as your head coach, you get what you’ve gotten the last 4 years. CRAPPOLA
February 16th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
I can’t even read Bonzai’s takes
80% of them are fallacy.
February 16th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
Joe – what evidence do we have that Baker had any injuries that significantly impacted his play after the bye ? I don’t remember ANY.
Lots of speculation, based on assumptions, but no real evidence.
February 16th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
“Joe – what evidence do we have that Baker had any injuries that significantly impacted his play after the bye ? I don’t remember ANY.”
My thing is, his play went in the crapper after Mike went down in Detroit. So the whole health thing kind of get blown out of proportion and is now being used to revise the perspective we look at the 2025 season from.
I’ll keep on saying it too, because guys got this false recall of things going south after the bye when we scored 25 combined points in our last 2 games before the bye while going 1-1 in those games. We beat the brakes of the Saints with minimal contribution from our offense.
February 16th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
The Seahawks had three different Oline combinations in 2025. The Bucs had nine. Pretty much the best in the league and the worst in the league. It all starts up front. Unfortunately, it all ends up front as well.
February 16th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
Our no. 1 combination was 5 games with Barton, Wirfs, Goedecke, Jordan, and Feeney. Barton is much worse player when Bredeson isn’t helping him read defenses and call blocking. Goedecke showed that mental preparation is every bit as important as physical preparation. By showing the concentration span of a junior varsity tackle. Wirfs was very good, our best by far, and even he missed a chunk of games. No way do we win many games until that changes.
February 16th, 2026 at 3:54 pm
What this team did to Kyle Trask was one of the worst things I have ever seen a supposedly professional football team do to a player, drafting him and never even attempting to develop him , in fact just the opposite, going out of the way to keep him from developing, never giving him a chance to practice much let play with the starters , even though in preseason he never fumbled, never was intercepted and never lost a game!( even winning a preseason competition with mayfield for the starter position, can you imagine how difficult it is to play with a multitude of new players , many not knowing the playbook , not knowing the pass routes , and you have to wait to see what they were going to run and still have a good completion percentage with no interceptions or fumbles!)!Then , what you do at the end , when you have decided against all logic , to bring in Bridgewater, ( one of the historically stupid things ever done by management! ) , When Trask ‘s contract is expiring You give him a one year extension so no one can pick him up , then after rosters are set , you let him go, even though after the Titans game in which Trask played the whole game , winning it and an article is written saying Tampa had the best Two Quarterbacks in the league You let him go! Why? Maybe Mayfield or Management did not want a Quarterback competition, it is the logical explanation, in any event , karma bit you in the butt and probably cost you post season play when Mayfield was hurt and Bridgewater fizzled . I don’t think You have seen the last of Kyle Trask and if history holds true,( Tampa is the only team in NFL history, to have let three quarterbacks go who went on and won SuperBowls for other teams!), karma is still lurking out there ready to take another bite.
February 16th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
Joe says:
“The only logical reason is the Bucs didn’t trust Mayfield’s backup, Teddy Bridgewater. And if that’s true, then why in the world was Bridgewater even eating up a roster spot?”
Answer: Todd Bowles
He was quoted as saying that he believed Bilgewater was a capable backup.
That among one trillion reasons on defense should have gotten him run.
Instead we get the double TB zero show. Insanity.
February 16th, 2026 at 7:08 pm
JDStill, Trashcan has been so bad in the NFL that ESPN has to play his college highlights from 2021.
Trashcan has been so bad not only could he not gain any PT in Tampa, he could not crack the Falcons gameday roster behind Cousins ahead of Emory Jones & Easton Stick after Penix was hurt.
Trashcan has been so bad he has made Felipe Franks NFL QB / TE career look amazing. (At least Franks was athletic enough to stick around, even if he had to move to TE after 2 yrs)
Fact is, Trashcan has been so bad and was such a terrible 2nd round pick that it’s left a stain on Jason Licht & the Bucs scouting department.
Trashcan was so bad in Tampa, Carson Wentz looks like a hella good choice for the Bucs QB2 job.
February 16th, 2026 at 7:35 pm
Even though teams weren’t falling over themselves to sign Trask, he was much better than the player they replaced him with. But, even when we had Kyle, Bowles refused to replace Baker when he was injured. I want him gone so badly.
February 16th, 2026 at 7:54 pm
Get Tannehill off the couch…
February 16th, 2026 at 8:09 pm
He’s a threat to Baker Mayfield so Bowles will never sing off on this.
February 16th, 2026 at 8:43 pm
I say bring in Tua, he only has a 101 million dollar dead cap hit in Miami. And the y’all think we have problems , SMH.
February 16th, 2026 at 8:45 pm
Quit crying about Kyle Trash already. He wasn’t signed by anyone after being released. That says it all. Gator Nation is delusional.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:03 pm
What got me a bit angry is that Rams game. Baker certainly was not 100% and if I recall correctly, Bridgewater did not even travel with the dang team! He was in South Florida for personal issues. So the Bucs arrive in LA and Bridgewater was not even taking reps during the week. This was unprofessional on so many levels. Bridgewater was forced in that game and did not even warm up before the game because he arrived at the stadium right before kickoff. Who should be held accountable for that? It is not all on Bridgewater as he was dealing with the death of a good friend but man, didn’t that show that the Bucs were not set at the backup QB position and they dumped Trask for Teddy so obviously they thought Trask was not NFL ready yet he ate up a roster spot for several seasons! Jason has to be held accountable for this, as much as I think Bowles is a doofus, we can’t blame him for all the personnel gaffes!
February 16th, 2026 at 9:06 pm
I agree Robert, the ATL signed Trask as their 4th string QB who got on the roster only due to Penix going down. The Falcons always Falcon which is why the Bucs have a puncher’s chance in this division, even with Bowles as HC. My beef is that the Bucs wasted a roster spot on Trask for so many seasons and then signed a washed up Teddy as the backup. Man, Jason dropped the ball on that one.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:27 pm
A lot of connections for Carson Here as well. Worked with Zac Robinson in LA, is a veteran like the buccaneers will be looking for, and is the prototypical Big QB that Jason Licht always loves
February 16th, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Bring back Kyle Trask. He was a pretty good backup. Had Baker sat out injured as he should have done, Trask would have led the Bucs to the playoffs.
But the big problem with Baker always playing injured is Baker’s ego. He just cannot sit out a game and let another QB play. He has to be the man always playing. The coaches need to do their job as coaches and force a player to sit when he is injured.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:12 pm
I’d have no issues with Wentz, at least you know he has an NFL arm, unlike Teddy ‘Hospital Ball’ Bridgewater that has looked washed up for half a decade.
BUT, the Bucs should aim pretty high with a back-up, since they should have their choice of anyone they want, as people look at how terrible Baker played for most of the second half the season and think they will get playing time due to play or injury. Not saying that will happen, but as a back-up, you’d want to be in Tampa since if you play, you have a very good shot of looking really good.
Personally I’d love to bring in Justin Fields. The guy has always been stuck on bad offenses with awful schemes. Not saying he’d be a good QB, but he would be a very good weapon at QB, and as a runner who takes some occasional shots downfield, I think he’d do well as a back-up. Not to mention when Baker has his predictable ‘injured’ spell and is missing wide open guys to start a game, maybe you bring him in and let him just run the ball for a series or two, then see if Baker snaps out of it. Give Baker a reason to get mad and feel disrespected, that tends to be when he plays his best.
February 16th, 2026 at 11:58 pm
I agree with most comments, why did they bring Bridgewater in as a Backup. His throws were garbage and cost our WR time out with a neck injury. Wentz had been playing hurt, it was difficult to watch them keep him in during his shoulder injury. Why don’t they get a backup who has experience and has a good arm plus speed. I have no clue what the deal was with Trask. I guess no one really knows, we hardly saw him play much. Those times he did play were not consistent.
February 17th, 2026 at 10:17 am
Stuff like this is what leads people to want to part way Todd B. Lot’s of missteps.
February 17th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Target free-agent Tyler Huntley. Like Mayfield, he can also run.
February 17th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
Bucs would have been better with Trask than with Bridgewater. At least Trask knew the system and had a pretty good arm. The Bucs are pretty weak across the board and the head coach is not a brilliant head coach. Bucs need upgrades at most skill positions. Gonna take some time to upgrade at a lot of skill positions with just the draft. Are the owners willing to spend big for high quality free agents? I thing a new younger smarter head coach would be a good start. The head coach they have now would ok as a defense coach a head coach. Start at the top and rebuild the team with draft pics and free agents. Don’t believe the current owners are willing to spend what it will take. The Bucs need new blood at too many positions. Especially at head coach and skill positions. No quick fix for this team.
February 17th, 2026 at 7:05 pm
QB1:Baker
QB2: Jimmy Garapallo
QB3: Trask-Time!
Sign all 3!!!
February 17th, 2026 at 10:26 pm
Wentz, I wouldn’t wish that on any team. No Please. Trask can come back over Wentz. I think Trask could manage after a couple of games and time on the field.
February 18th, 2026 at 7:14 am
They’re not bringing Trask back because of what happened in 2023 training camp when Trask out played Baker. Baker was a business decision not a football decision and the whole Baker Mayfield was injured is not true it’s a excuse that people always give Baker when he plays bad . I would say the only time he was injured was in the 2023 season the last 2 games but not last year. Teams started to play the run close and make Baker throw from the pocket and they put they’re hands up because they knew Baker can’t see over the line. So what’s going to be the excuse this year if Baker Mayfield plays the same way? Oh I know he was hurt if the bucs don’t get to a NFC Championship this year it’s time to let Baker and Bowles go and if the bucs resign Baker Mayfield because of some stats that he got in garbage time that will set this team back for another 4 or 5 years because then they will tank for a quarterback which means you will have to let go of your good players. And that means another young quarterback with no receivers = another quarterback that want developed and it will be another 10 years of losing.
February 18th, 2026 at 10:56 pm
Strong possibility our team could be really bad for 3 to 5 years…