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As the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, rumors continue to swirl about which teams will make moves to acquire the next franchise quarterback.
One team that has been mentioned as a potential trade-up candidate is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who saw Hall of Famer quarterback Tom Brady retire this offseason. However, according to a recent report from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Bucs coaching staff is not interested in making such a move.
Breer believes that the Bucs are excited about the potential of their current quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask. Mayfield, who was acquired by Tampa Bay in free-agency after he spent time with the Los Angeles Rams last season, showed significant improvement in the final month of the 2022 campaign. While Mayfield struggled at times with the Panthers last season, he had success in Cleveland in 2020 – leading the Browns to their first playoff appearance in nearly two decades – is a testament to his talent and potential.
Meanwhile, Trask is an untested commodity, having seen very little regular season action in his young career. Despite his lack of experience, the Bucs coaching staff believes he has the tools to succeed at the NFL level. However, like Mayfield, Trask lacks elite mobility and arm strength, which could limit his potential in some offensive schemes.
Despite their belief in their current quarterbacks, there has been speculation that the Bucs could make a move up in the draft to select a top-tier QB prospect according to Breer. However, he is not convinced that such a move is in the cards.
Breer notes that the Bucs were not interested in moving up when another team inquired about a potential trade-down scenario, and suggests that the team is focused on getting younger in key areas, rather than making a splashy move for a quarterback.
Of course, as with any draft-related rumors, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction at this stage.
The Bucs could very well change their tune in the coming days and weeks, depending on how the draft board shakes out. However, for now, it appears that the team is content to roll with their current QBs and wait until 2024 to potentially address the position.
For fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the focus will be on seeing how Mayfield and Trask perform in the upcoming season, and whether they can continue to improve and take the Bucs back to the playoffs.