Survival-Readiness

The Buccaneers appear to have a legitimate quarterback competition on their hands.It was long expected that Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask would be battling for the team's starting quarterback position. At this point, it isn't clear whether either has an edge in the competition.Why? Because Tampa Bay listed its starting quarterback as "Baker Mayfield OR Kyle Trask" on the team's first depth chart of the preseason.The approach of co-starters is something that is often seen at the college level, but it is a bit more unusual at the NFL level. As the old adage goes, teams with two starting quarterbacks have no starting quarterbacks.MORE: Cassius Marsh Jersey But it appears that Mayfield and Trask are truly in a dead heat in the Buccaneers' quarterback battle. So, it's anyone's game as each looks to earn the right to become Tom Brady's succe sor.Below is a look at Tampa Bay's full quarterback depth chart and what the team's decision-makers have said about each player.1A. Baker MayfieldMayfield is technically the first quarterback listed on the Buccaneers depth chart, but it could be just a matter of alphabetization. His first and last names are both alphabetically ahead of Kyle Trask's names, so the only way that Trask would end up ahead of Mayfield on the depth chart is if they went by middle name (Jacob vs. Reagan).Anyway, that aside, Mayfield is the veteran option and was once the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. While he has flashed upside, he hasn't found consistent succe s in the NFL. Last season, he struggled immensely with the Panthers before finding moderate succe s in a short run with the Rams.2023 seasonRecordComp. %Pa sing yardsPa s Ezekiel Ansah Jersey TDsINTsRatingwith Panthers1-557.81,3136674.4with Rams1-363.68504286.4The Buccaneers seem to believe that Mayfield's spunky personality could benefit the team's offense as they transition to the post-Brady era."You liked his moxie," coach Todd Bowles said in April, per . "You liked his leadership skills. You liked the way he could get out Bradley McDougald Jersey and throw on the run some."So, there's a good chance that the veteran could start in Week 1 for a third consecutive year for a third different team. At the very least, he will be the first quarterback on the field in preseason Week 1 when the Buccaneers face the Steelers.Bowles confirms that Baker Mayfield will start Fridays preseason opener vs. Steelers, while Kyle Trask will start next week at Jets. Said there wasnt a ton of thought into who goes first. was first on Mayfield news. Greg Auman (@gregauman) MORE: 1B. Kyle TraskTrask began the offseason quarterback competition needing to beat out the veteran Mayfield for the job. It seems like he has at least gained ground on his counterpart.Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales was asked on Aug. 1 whether the Tampa Bay quarterback competition was tightening thanks to Trask's performance at training camp."Oh, absolutely," he said, per ."It just took a couple of days for Kyle to really settle in and then what we saw in the last two practices, Kyle really showed what he can do, stretching the field with his arm, getting the ball out quickly, and making decisions," Canales added. "I am really excited about both of those guys and the progre sion that Ed Dickson Jersey they have made throughout the last couple of days."Certainly, it sounds like the Buccaneers are high on Trask, even if they like Mayfield too. Thus, it makes sense to make them co-starters for now and let them duke it out for playing time during the preseason. That's why Mayfield is starting the first game and Trask is starting the second. Presumably, the leader of the battle will end up starting the third game.That said, it will be on Trask to prove that he is ready to play. The 2021 second-round pick has only appeared in one NFL game to date in relief of Tom Brady. He completed 3 of 9 pa ses for 23 yards.MORE: 3. John WolfordThe Bucs do have a third quarterback on their roster. That would be Wolford, who formerly backed up Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford with the Rams.Wolford isn't in the running to be Tampa Bay's starter but he may have a chance to make the team's roster (or practice squad) as a third quarterback. He has a 2-2 record in four career starts but has completed just 58.7 percent of his pa ses for 626 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.That said, Bowles worked with Wolford when he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest in 2018 when both were with the Jets. Thus, that relationship seems to explain why Wolford landed in Tampa Bay. Phil Haynes Jersey