Kyle Trask Seeks New Home as NFL Season Looms After Being Cut By Bucs

The NFL’s Tuesday roster cut-down deadline sent waves through the league, leaving athletes with uncertain futures after failing to earn a spot on their team’s respective 53-man roster.

Among the lives abruptly displaced, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask on Tuesday. The roster decision marks the end of his tenure as the backup quarterback with the Buccaneers. Tampa selected Trask in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he never saw extended playing time during the regular season.

With Tom Brady and, subsequently, Baker Mayfield’s consistent performances, Trask finished with only four passes for 28 yards. When he played, the 2020 Heisman Trophy finalist only recorded 11 regular-season passes.

However, he seemed to be on an upward trajectory as of late. He signed a one-year deal for a $2.62 million base salary in March. Then, during the Bucs’ first and third preseason games, he threw for a combined 241 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he suffered a shoulder injury in the franchise’s preseason finale, which played a significant role in his departure. The Bucs placed Trask on injured reserve. He will reportedly be working out a settlement or release soon, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The termination of Trask’s contract opens the door for new opportunities as a free agent. He will likely sign with another team’s practice squad.

The Denver Broncos also released Sam Ehlinger, a fellow late-2010s collegiate star, Tuesday. Yet, he is reportedly returning to the team’s practice squad after turning down two opportunities to join the active rosters elsewhere. This may be unlikely for Trask, considering Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ statements praising quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

“Him being older has a lot to do with it, but him being accurate and understanding what we’re trying to do has a lot to do with it as well. We had Kyle [Trask] for four years and it was a good four-year run. We just feel like we got a better chance with Teddy,” Bowles told ESPN’s Jenna Laine.

Another option is the Carolina Panthers, where backup quarterback Andy Dalton’s elbow injury has left a notable void to fill. Connections with the Buccaneers’ coaching staff could make Trask’s transition to North Carolina a possibility.

Throughout Trask’s competition with Mayfield in Tampa Bay, Carolina coach Dave Canales served as offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers. As Trask would already be familiar with Canales’ variation of the Sean McVay-style West Coast offense, he could walk in with a leg up over quarterbacks who are less experienced with Canales’ expectations and procedures.

While the future remains unknown for the Florida Gators alum, Trask’s decent performance in the Buccaneers’ preseason games could set up the field for promising opportunities.

Category: Football, Former Gators, Gators Football, NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers