The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suddenly have a quarterback crisis.
Tom Brady retired from the NFL after 22 seasons, leaving the team with no clear-cut successor.
The massive void in Tampa Bay gave rise to rumors that Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo, or Kyler Murray will move to Florida.
But while those high-level acquisitions will help maintain their contender status, perhaps the solution they’re looking for is already on their roster.
Weirdly, the team isn’t considering Kyle Trask as a viable option after drafting him in the second round of the 2021 draft.
Why get him then if they don’t intend for him to play?
Remember His Numbers With The Gators
Trask was once a finalist for the Heisman Trophy but eventually lost to DeVonta Smith.
That line alone showed the star power he had when he was still the starter for the Florida Gators.
It wasn’t until his junior year that he took over from Feleipe Franks and showed what he could do.
Kyle Trask has always been counted out. His life story line is insane. To count him out again is absolutely crazy. Dude lives for this.
— EJAR515. (@JBreezyII) February 1, 2022
He was 9-1 in the games he started and finished with 2,941 yards and 25 touchdowns in that season.
He left Florida with 4,283 yards, 43 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions a year later.
Trask also added three rushing touchdowns in 2020 and averaged a 67.9 percent completion rate in his last two years at Gainesville.
Will Trask Follow Brady’s Path?
Despite his accolades in college, Brady wasn’t a highly-touted NFL prospect and fell to the sixth round.
He might not even have started for the New England Patriots if not for Mo Lewis’ vicious hit on Drew Bledsoe.
The rest is history after that incident, and Bledsoe, a three-time Pro Bowler by that time, never regained his job in Foxborough.
While Brady and Bledsoe were teammates for just two seasons, the seven-time Super Bowl champion learned a lot from the player he followed.
Kyle Trask .. that’s all
— Kyle Pitts👑 (@kylepitts__) February 1, 2022
Over two decades later, Trask’s career in terms of how it may start might pattern Brady’s progression.
The rookie learned so much in some ways just by watching and emulating the 44-year-old quarterback’s dedication and attention to detail.
Therefore, head coach Bruce Arians should at least give him a chance to see if he’s the real deal.
Why Let Trask Play?
Allowing Trask to thrive works best for the Buccaneers due to several reasons.
First, he’s already part of the locker room and need not adjust to his older teammates.
He doesn’t need to learn Arians’ system because he already had a year of internship from the sidelines.
Giving him an opportunity works best for Tampa Bay’s continuity.
Second, the Buccaneers can upgrade on various positions of need since Trask is still under a cap-friendly rookie deal.
Kyle Trask had a Joe Burrow type of season in college, and people want to downgrade and put down Trask, these gator haters are so mad I swear.
— Trevor | 2020 SB Champs | THANK YOU BRADY ❤️ (@b2bChamps27) January 30, 2022
They can use the spare money to build a better roster or re-sign players, Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa, Chris Godwin, and Leonard Fournette.
Having a solid supporting cast will help him thrive and absorb some pressure off his shoulders.
But if he doesn’t end up being the man for the job, his cap count won’t affect their plan to bring in a veteran presence under center.
All he wants is recognition that he can lead the Buccaneers to victory.
Trask will take it from there, especially when Arians gives him the nod.
