It was a pretty successful offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it’s not just the top-line moves the team made that stick out as notable.
Re-signing Chris Godwin was by far the biggest move the team made, as the Bucs not only landed arguably the top free agent but brought back one of their own. Hasson Reddick was the big splurge to help fix the pass rush in a move that feels adjacent to when Shaq Barrett was brought in a few years ago.
Tampa Bay also spent time taking care of guys like Ben Bredeson and Anthony Nelson, which is a testament to the team’s depth. Backup quarterback Kyle Trask was also among that group, which was a bit of a surprise to some who thought he’d end up trying to restart his career somewhere else.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, however, never really seemed to waver on what Trask’s future with the team looks like.
Buccaneers GM sets the record straight about Kyle Trask’s future in Tampa Bay
Trask returning to Tampa wasn’t just a surprise, it was another master stroke by Licht to find ways to get around the salary cap. The Bucs used a loophole to bring him back on a team-friendly deal, and based on his comments it sounds like Licht sees Trask sticking around beyond his upcoming deal.
"We really like Kyle. We know Kyle better than anybody," Licht said. "A couple years ago, there was a quarterback battle, and he did very well. Just because he doesn't have the experience doesn't necessarily mean that he's not the right person.”
That’s a huge endorsement and says a lot about how Trask is seen as a piece of the future for the Bucs. Think less about that statement as him being a successor to Baker Mayfield and more about how it sets him up to be a Blaine Gabbert or John Wolford type.
"Some quarterbacks that have experience getting thrown into the fire because the starter went down, they get a lot of money because they have the experience. It doesn't necessarily mean they played well. Kyle just hasn't had the game-time experience. I think if he ever did, we'd be talking a different situation. We're very excited about him and glad that he's back with us."
When the offseason arrived most thought that Trask would leave to find a different situation that presented him with a clearer path to a starting job. The only way he’s starting in Tampa is if something happens to Baker Mayfield, which is also why his return is extremely notable.
The level of trust the Bucs have in Trask is pretty intense if they feel he’s the guy they think can keep things on track if the unthinkable happens with Baker. It’s also a move that helps him secure what could be his role in the NFL moving forward.
Being a career backup quarterback is a pretty sweet gig, and Trask is in a perfect position to start settling into that lane. He remains in a familiar system with a quarterback he knows, but the respect the organization has for him can’t be overlooked here.
Licht doesn’t say things just to say them, so a compliment like the one he paid Trask is huge. It’s clear that the team sees him as a big piece of the future, and given how solid the middle and low-end of the roster is the fact that Trask is seen as a key member is another reminder of how well-constructed the team is from top to bottom.
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