As OTAs gear up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, several intriguing position battles are already taking shape. One major storyline flying under the radar, despite its major implications, is the battle to back up starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Kyle Trask and Michael Pratt set to compete for QB2 job
Earlier this offseason, the Buccaneers signed their 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask to a one-year, $2.8 million extension to continue serving as the backup in Tampa Bay. In his limited NFL sample size, Trask has completed 4 of 11 passes for 28 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
As a Florida Gator, where he first caught the Buccaneers' eye as a potential successor to Tom Brady, Trask completed an efficient 67.9% of his passes, throwing for 7,386 yards with 69 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, largely accumulated over two seasons as the full-time starter. He was even a Heisman Trophy finalist in his final season Trask was exclusively a pocket quarterback in college, finishng with just 54 rushing yards throughout his college career.
Pratt was a seventh-round pick out of Tulane by the Green Bay Packers in 2024, but the Buccaneers had been heavily interested in Pratt at pick No. 246 until Green Bay swiped him just one selection ahead of Tampa Bay. With Pratt suddenly off the board, the Buccaneers were forced to pivot and instead drafted tight end Devin Culp put of Washington.
Pratt threw for 9,602 yards, completing 60.6% of his passes with 90 touchdowns and 26 interceptions as a four-year starter for the Green Wave. What separates Pratt from Trask is the added dimension he brings as a runner, providing a dynamic dual-threat element to his game. Pratt rushed for 1,145 yards at Tulane for an eye-popping 28 rushing touchdowns. It’s clear to see why Jason Licht was hoping to land Pratt as a seventh-round steal.
Luckily for Tampa Bay, Pratt was released by the Packers at the end of the 2024 preseason despite showing a lot of promise, and the Bucs quickly swooped in to add him to the practice squad. Pratt eventually signed a two-year, $2,285,000 deal with the Buccaneers earlier this offseason.
Pratt certainly offers higher upside as an athlete, and if he can fine-tune his passing ability, Trask could find himself firmly on the hot seat throughout the preseason as the battle for the backup quarterback job intensifies. But according to Greg Auman, Pratt was absent from the first day of voluntary OTAs, giving Trask an early head start to take valuable reps and build chemistry with the offense.
With Both Trask and Pratt signed to short-term, team-friendly deals, the Bucs can embrace a truly open competition between the two and ensure that they choose the best insurance plan possible in case emergency strikes and Baker Mayfield has to miss time.