The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will no longer have Tom Brady behind center, and the transition from one Hall of Famer is almost always slow and sometimes painful.
Baker Mayfield signed with them in an attempt to bring his career back to life, but it seems like he’s not even a lock to be the starter at this point.
When asked about the QB room and whether they’d name a starter soon, new OC Dave Canales claimed to take a similar approach to what Pete Carroll did with Geno Smith and Drew Lock in Seattle last season.
Bucs OC Dave Canales won't rush decision between Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask as starting QB: "It's a win-win when you create a competition"https://t.co/5TYUBwKzo8 pic.twitter.com/NZOG9YF5MX
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 10, 2023
“Philosophically, for me, coming from Seattle, best guy gets the job,” Canales said. “For me, it’s a win-win when you create a competition.”
Canales will take a page out of his former team’s book before naming a starter, and he made things even more interesting by signing veteran John Wolford early in the week.
Wolford knew Mayfield from the Los Angeles Rams last season, but he’s not likely to be that involved in the mix.
The Bucs reportedly trusted Kyle Trask to take the reins once Brady was gone, but the former second-round pick is a bit of a question mark at this point.
As for Mayfield, he might not ever live up to the expectations that come with being the No. 1 pick, but he does come with plenty of experience and has shown glimpses of great play from time to time.
Mayfield closed out last season on a high note by subbing in for the injured Matthew Stafford, so there’s still a chance he might turn out to be a good player in this league.
But if Canales is anything like his former boss, it might take a while before we know whether he’ll be QB1 or not.
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