Tom Brady has sailed off into the sunset and now the Buccaneers need a quarterback. While Tampa Bay could address that GOAT-sized hole under center via the 2023 NFL Draft later this spring or with a veteran signal-caller in free agency, Bruce Arians isn't sleeping on the team's in-house option: Kyle Trask.
The former Buccaneers head coach, who now serves the franchise as a senior consultant, made an appearance on the "The Rich Eisen Show" Wednesday and displayed confidence in Trask if Tampa Bay ultimately tabs him to be the club's starting quarterback to begin the 2023 campaign.
"I think we're in good hands with Kyle Trask," Arians said. "I love Kyle, he's been there two years now. ... Blaine Gabbert was a great mentor for him. But just like three years ago, you've got to search what's behind door No. 2. Three years ago, we never would've guessed Tom Brady was behind door No. 2. So you do your research, you do all your homework, and then you decide what's best for you. But right now, I'm very comfortable if Kyle's our guy."
It's worth pointing out that while the Buccaneers could technically look around the NFL landscape to see what's behind door No. 2, they'd have to display some serious gymnastics with the salary cap to actually bring that player under the tent. Currently, Tampa Bay is $55.6 million over the salary cap, which is the worst cap figure in the NFL. So, that could paint the team into a corner and make Trask -- who is still on his rookie deal -- a more cost-effective option.
Trask was a second-round selection by the Bucs in 2021 out of Florida. He's spent the past two seasons behind both Brady and Gabbert. The 24-year-old did get his first taste of regular-season action in Week 18 of last season where he completed three of his nine throws for 23 yards in garbage time against Atlanta.
Arians explained what he likes about Trask: "[He's] a guy that worked his ass off to get to where he's at. And he's worked extremely hard every single day. He's got all the size, he's got the arm, he's got the stature of what we like. And he's mobile. Now, he's not a burner, but he's mobile enough to do some things. Looking at all the young quarterbacks today, he's not 4.5 [-second] Jalen Hurts-type of guy, but he can do a lot of things that help us win, especially with the players around him."
Of course, Tampa Bay will do its due diligence as free agency approaches, but if the rest of the building feels the same as Arians does about Trask, it does seem like he's a legitimate option to start in the franchise's first season post-Brady.
