Many expected Mayfield to be the frontrunner for the Bucs’ QB1 spot once he came over this offseason, but the team made it clear that Trask would still have the opportunity to earn the role for himself.
While Mayfield has five years of experience starting in the NFL — albeit with inconsistent results — Trask was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2021 and since then has seen action in only one game. He went 3-of-9 passing for 23 yards, a sample size too small for any conclusion to be drawn from.
So with two players coming into this situation with vastly different NFL histories, one has to wonder what will eventually give one player the edge over the other, and how close to the season it will be when the Bucs decide to unveil the depth chart. So far, offensive coordinator Dave Canales has said he won’t “rush to make any decisions,” preferring to give both guys extended opportunities to prove their mettle.
But despite the competition, David said both Mayfield and Trask are taking the situation in stride, working alongside each other with a sense of camaraderie.
“During minicamp it was really fun to see, man, those guys are really having fun with it and they’re helping each other throughout the way,” David said. “So that’s definitely something I love to see, as well.”
Buccaneers veterans will report to training camp on July 25, at which point the competition between Mayfield and Trask will truly start to heat up. But for now, it’s anyone’s guess which will be the starter when Tampa Bay visits the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1.