TAMPA, Fla. — The Tom Brady era in Tampa Bay ended after three seasons when the future Hall of Famer called it quits at age 45 following a disappointing 2022 campaign.
Tampa Bay drafted quarterback Kyle Trask out of Florida in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, and he'll compete with free agent signee Baker Mayfield to replace Brady under center next season, a tall task for either player.
Locked on Bucs hosts David Harrison and James Yarcho broke down how the two played during OTAs and what that means for the QB competition with still three months to go until Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season.
"Baker Mayfield is the first quarterback on the field during these practice sessions," Harrison said. "And I think that is important. It doesn't mean he's a slam dunk to win but it is important because your starting quarterback is expected to set the tone."
Most expect Mayfield to win the job, although as Harrison points out the two are splitting reps so far in the early stages of the offseason.
Mayfield, the first player selected in the 2018 NFL draft, split the past two seasons between the Browns, Rams, and Panthers, going 8-16 with a 60.3% completion rate and a 27-to-21 touchdown-to-interception ratio - although his previous body of work is far better and none of those situations were conducive to success.
Trask only has nine career passing attempts under his belt, but should give Mayfield a legitimate run for his money during the offseason and represents a quality backup option should the veteran ultimately win the starting job in September.