NFL 2023: Predicting the starting QB for all 32 teams pre-NFL Free Agency

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Drew Lock (replacing Tom Brady)

Possible backup options: Kyle Trask, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew that it wasn’t going to be “forever” with Tom Brady, but for a minute there, you had to wonder a little bit if he was ever going to really stop playing…

Even with the paperwork filed to the NFL, I’m still not so sure. Even if Brady does decide to play again, as surprising as that would be at this point, I don’t think it would be for the Bucs. It’s going to be a new era in Tampa Bay and with a new offensive staff coming in, I’m not so sure it’s good news for Kyle Trask.

Trask was picked at the bottom of the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Trask offseason hype has already begun. The problem is, although the Bucs envision Trask as being a potentially strong “point guard” at the position, I think they might have been the only team that valued him as highly as they did in 2021. And that was a different offensive staff.

The Bucs now have Dave Canales in place as their offensive coordinator, and Canales comes over from the Seattle Seahawks where he recently coached Geno Smith and Drew Lock. Now, it could mean nothing, but it’s worth noting that Lock was included in that Russell Wilson trade last year. Was Canales someone advocating for that? The Seahawks had those two in a competition to the bitter end of camp last year, so perhaps Canales feels like he can still work well with Lock, if only for a season.

Bucs fans may be reading this and wondering why I hate them so much. Kyle Trask and Drew Lock? Really?

I think this team is playing the long game to get into the QB market for 2024. I’m not going to say the word “tank” but you can put the two and two together here.