The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will enter the 2025 season with many key facets of their formula for success looking much different, but one of the few constants on this team is the fact Kyle Trask will be slotted in as the top backup quarterback. Trask will enter his fifth straight season as the backup.
Trask was thought to have some added competition for this spot in 2025, as the Bucs signed well-respected veteran Teddy Bridgewater to a contract before the start of the season. Luckily, Trask wasted no time in reaffirming the fact that Bridgewater will need to overtake him if he wants to be active on gamedays.
In Tampa's dominant preseason win against the Tennessee Titans, Trask completed 12-16 passes for 129 yards, looking calm and in control the whole time. Despite some head-turning comments from the Bucs themselves about this situation, all signs point to Bridgewater starting the year as the third-string quarterback while Trask takes ownership of QB2.
Kyle Trask will be the Buccaneers' backup QB over Teddy Bridgewater
The Bucs invested a second-round pick in Trask with the thought he could slide in to replace Tom Brady once he left town. While that obviously never happened, the Bucs remain enamored enough with his talent to keep him around after multiple coaching changes and years without a meaningful start.
Trask, like Mayfield, will be working through learning his third offensive system in as many years as Dave Canales and Liam Coen earned head coaching jobs elsewhere. Even with poor mobility and an average arm for his size, Trask's familiarity with the offense and pocket accuracy are traits that Tampa holds in high regard.
While Bridgewater is obviously the bigger name with more pedigree, he was coaching high school football as recently as last season. Trask's potential in the next few years is what may ultimately end up handing him the QB2 role, especially if he continues to show improvement in his annual preseason exhibition.
Trask should not be expected to put up Baker Mayfield-like numbers in a starting role, but all signs point to him eventually amassing some quality performances if he is forced into action.