Last month, mixed signals emerged from Tampa Bay regarding whether quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask will compete for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Tom Brady. Position coach Clyde Christensen said no. Head coach Todd Bowles disagreed, saying Trask would have a chance.
Bowles recently provided more clarity. Basically, competition is possible, but Gabbert has the edge.
“I’m comfortable with Blaine,” Bowles told Ira Kaufman of JoeBucsFan.com. “We talk a lot. You know, we’ve gotten to know each other over the past couple of years. He knows this offense very well. He understands the offense very well. He knows where to go with the football because he’s been in it. You know, that gives him the edge over Trask. That’s not to say Trask cannot catch him, OK? He gets the nod because of experience. Kyle’s going to get plenty of practice to get better. It’s how much better Kyle can get while Blaine is still the backup and how much can he close the gap if not take it over. But, I like Blaine. Tom’s our starter. Don’t get me wrong. Tom’s our starter. Blaine’s seen a lot and he’s been in about 10 years. He’s seen a lot and he should. . . . He probably has been in some tough situations. You just never know until a guy is in there full-time. . . . He knows what to do and he’s not going to panic when he gets in a game. So he’s like a security blanket right now. But anybody that’s a backup will have competition, and even certain starters.”
So, yes, there can be a competition. But Gabbert’s experience gives him an edge over Trask.
Ultimately, does it matter? If Brady gets injured, the 2022 Buccaneers will be hard pressed to win without him.