Baker Mayfield gets Buccaneers' starting QB job over Kyle Trask
Baker Mayfield is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback for this season, according to a Tuesday announcement from the team.
The 28-year-old is set to make his debut against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 10, an opportunity to win his first career season opener.
Mayfield was in competition with third-year pro Kyle Trask. In the Buccaneers' first unofficial depth chart ahead of their preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the beginning of this month, the team listed Mayfield "OR" Trask at starter. But Mayfield was placed in the first-team slot and Trask was in the second.
Head coach Todd Bowles was asked about the battle for the starting position Sunday and said the team was still undecided.
“We don’t have a timetable on it. We’ll name [a starter] when we name it,” Bowles said, via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “We feel comfortable with where we’re at, so we’ll go from there.”
Bowles gave Mayfield the starting nod after practice on Tuesday. After Tom Brady's second retirement, Mayfield joined the Buccaneers this past offseason on a one-year, $4 million deal. He spent last season between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.
Reports suggested Mayfield had the edge over Trask in June. He offered more experience than the 25-year-old, having started in 72 games in five seasons. Over those contests, he completed 1,386 passes for 16,288 yards, 102 touchdowns and 64 interceptions. He also won a playoff game in the 2020 season.
Trask was drafted to be Brady's backup in 2021 and doesn't have a lot of career reps. His 3-of-9 career passing for 23 yards came in the 2022 season-ending loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
The competition appeared to thicken based on training camp performance. In August, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales said Trask was making up ground. Mayfield has reportedly struggled with interceptions from the opening of camp, recording seven of them in nine practices, according to Fox Sports' Greg Auman. Amid those reports, Bowles told reporters Trask had "been doing a good job of not turning it over."
Mayfield started in the Buccaneers’ preseason opener against the Steelers and went 8-of-9 for 63 yards and a touchdown. Trask replaced him in the second quarter and went 6-of-10 for 99 yards and one interception.
Bowles sat Mayfield in the Buccaneers’ second preseason game against the New York Jets on Saturday. Trask was able to improve on his opening performance, as he completed 20 of 28 passes for 218 yards and threw a 33-yard touchdown to rookie Trey Palmer.
Tampa Bay will host the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday for one more exhibition game before the regular season begins.