The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went from having the greatest quarterback of all time to having one of the weakest positional units in the league in just one off-season. Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask figure to be the players battling it out come training camp, but early returns aren’t exactly promising.
Mayfield, Trask Appear To Struggle In Buccaneers OTAs
A DIME from Baker Mayfield
via @ed_in_columbus | #NFL pic.twitter.com/RA7hkSucEo
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) May 25, 2023
Expectations will be low in Tampa Bay for the 2023 NFL season. As it stands today, they are tied with three other teams for the second-longest Super Bowl odds at +10000, ahead of only the Arizona Cardinals who come in at +15000. Last season, the Buccaneers won the NFC South by posting a losing record of 8-9, and fell to the Cowboys in the Wild Card round.
The roster has only gotten weaker since, due mostly to the absence of Tom Brady. They’ll need their current QBs to step things up if they hope to come close to their projected 6.5 wins.
Videos out of the Bucs off-season training program had Mayfield and Trask looking shaky. Posted on Twitter by the handle @Ed_in_Columbus, the first clip shows Mayfield dropping back in a usual pass and catch drill. Tight end David Wells appears to run a short inside slant and turns to look for the ball. But Mayfield sails it way over his outstretched arms, making the routine 10-yard pass look difficult.
Baker Mayfield warming up for OTA #1 here in Tampa. #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/UtNtt9yRm4
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) May 23, 2023
It didn’t get much better for Trask in what appeared to be the same drill that Mayfield ran. Instead of sailing the ball over the receiver’s head, Trask was far too early in his delivery and threw a completely uncatchable ball that bounced after about 15 air yards.
It was unclear whether the team would ride with the quarterback room as it is currently assembled. The NFL Draft has passed, and Tampa Bay did not select a QB prospect, but there is still plenty of off-season to be had.
Most teams around the league already have their signal caller for the season in place, or at least a potential training camp battle to see who reigns supreme. But there are guys who have their immediate futures undecided that the Buccaneers could look in to. Would they be interested in trading for Trey Lance if the 49ers make him available
As far as the free agent market goes, the pickings are slim there. Some of the available names include Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, and Nick Foles, none of whom would be locks to win the starting job over the two QBs already in place for the Buccaneers.