Kyle Trask shines for Buccaneers in first half of preseason opener vs. Titans

Kyle Trask turned in a strong performance against the Titans in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ preseason opener on Saturday night.

Trask played the entire first half and finished 12-for-16 passing for 129 yards. He started the night with a bang, completing two passes over 20 yards — one to Jalen McMillan and one to rookie Emeka Egbuka.

He also had a timely six-yard scramble for a first down, along with a quarterback sneak that converted a fourth down on the Buccaneers’ only touchdown drive of the half.

Three of Trask’s four drives resulted in points for Tampa Bay, as the backup quarterback put together a highly efficient performance.

Trask needed a strong showing, especially after Michael Pratt, who was initially thought to be his main competition for the backup job, has been sidelined through training camp due to a lingering back injury. 

That injury led the team to sign veteran Teddy Bridgewater for added depth, and Bridgewater’s presence and experience ultimately put some pressure on Trask to perform. Bridgewater won’t play against Tennessee as he continues working to get back into football shape and learning the Buccaneers’ playbook.

With a strong performance tonight and a head start in familiarity with the locker room, Trask now looks like the clear favorite to back up Mayfield.

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