Quarterback Michael Pratt is thought of highly among the Bucs’ brass and was expected to push Kyle Trask for the No. 2 spot behind Baker Mayfield.
But with Pratt still stuck on the Physically Unable to Perform list — and Tampa Bay’s first preseason game just a week away — there might not be much of a competition after all.
Pratt was a seventh-round pick out of Tulane by the Green Bay Packers in 2024, but the Buccaneers had their eyes on him at pick No. 246 until Green Bay broke Tampa Bay’s hearts and selected him just one spot earlier.
That move forced general manager Jason Licht to pivot and instead take tight end Devin Culp out of Washington, who has proven to be a potential diamond in the rough who could see his role increase this season.
Still, the Bucs didn’t forget about Pratt. He threw for 9,602 yards at Tulane with 90 touchdowns and 26 interceptions across four years, completing 60.6% of his passes.
What made him stand out, though, was his mobility. Pratt added 1,145 rushing yards and a whopping 28 rushing touchdowns, giving him the kind of dual-threat upside Trask simply doesn’t offer.
Licht clearly saw the value. When the Packers released Pratt at the end of the preseason, the Bucs moved fast to add him to their practice squad.
After spending the year splitting time between the practice squad and active roster, Pratt signed a two-year, $2.285 million deal with Tampa Bay this offseason.
The upside is there, and if Pratt performed well this offseason, there was a real chance Trask could’ve been on the hot seat during camp.
But Pratt hasn’t been on the field all offseason, as a lingering lower back injury has continued to keep him out of action through all of OTA’s and training camp.
“He has a lower back injury and he is week-to-week,” Todd Bowles said, via team reporter Brianna Dix. “So, we do not know when his return will be, but he is still sore back there.”
That injury has given Trask a huge head start, getting all the backup reps and continuing to build chemistry with the offense. It’s been a missed opportunity for Pratt, who needed every rep to catch up.
Last year, the Bucs only carried two quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster, and if that trend continues, Pratt could be headed back to the practice squad unless he can get back on the field and make up for lost time.
Trask has been with the team since 2021 and knows the system well. Even before the injury, he had the advantage, and the gap is only growing.