Trask will start Tampa Bay's second preseason contest, Aug. 19 versus the Jets, but Baker Mayfield will open Friday's game against the Steelers, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Coach Todd Bowles said there was no real reason behind the decision for Trask to start after Mayfield, an indication that the Week 1 starter spot is still up for grabs. A 2021 second-round pick, Trask never got a chance to start for the Buccaneers during Tom Brady's tenure, but he's split first-team reps with Mayfield throughout camp and could finally get his opportunity if he's able to win the preseason job battle. Trask has reportedly had more success than Mayfield pushing the ball downfield in practices, so it will be interesting to see whether that translates to game-action.

Trask has made significant strides thus far in training camp and drawn very close in his job battle with Baker Mayfield, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Laine notes that Mayfield appeared to have a sizable lead over Trask back during June minicamp, but the paradigm appears to have shifted since training camp began. The 2021 second-round pick has looked far more decisive with the ball and has been making noteworthy plays in every practice. The two players continue to alternate first-team reps for the moment and could well compete through the duration of the preseason, with Friday's exhibition opener versus the Steelers serving as the first in-game platform for their job battle.

Trask, who's battling Baker Mayfield for the starting quarterback job this summer, is aiming to play in a manner that allows him to maximize his 6-foot-5 frame and leaner physique, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 2021 second-round pick is also focused on remaining calmer in the pocket, compared to his work over the last two preseasons where he feels he's been "a little agitated" and not as smooth in his mechanics as he feels he currently is. Trask describes his past style of play as "a little squatty" in terms of how tall he stood in the pocket, and he's also proving to possess greater mobility than he did during his college days thanks to having shed approximately 10 pounds since being drafted. Trask has performed well over the first two days of training camp, with Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reporting general manager Jason Licht has complimented the young signal-caller's improved footwork, arm strength and quick decisions,

Trask and fellow signal-caller Baker Mayfield are expected to engage in a battle for the starting quarterback job that could last straight through the final preseason game, Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Asked about whether naming a starter at this point in the offseason is preferable, offensive coordinator Dave Canales stated he'd much rather see Trask get ample opportunity to prove himself, something which naturally wasn't afforded to him during his first two seasons while working behind Tom Brady and hand-picked veteran backup Blaine Gabbert. With both players off the roster and Mayfield not having come close to living up to his status as the 2018 top overall pick to this point in his career, Trask -- who only has nine career pass attempts to Mayfield's 2,259 -- should have a legitimate chance to make his case. "Circumstantially, if Kyle would have had more opportunities, you know, I'd love to see what would happen to those," Canales said. "So I don't think we need to rush to make any decisions, is my opinion. Wait as long as you can, as long as possible."

Trask faces some challenges in his quest to become the Buccaneers' starting quarterback in 2023, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles unsurprisingly gave Trask public votes of confidence when speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine last week, but the largely unproven 2021 second-round pick has some obstacles to clear in his quest for the starting job. Stroud points out one of the primary ones is the fact Trask will not only be tasked with learning a new offense, but will also be working with a first-time play-caller in new offensive coordinator Dave Canales and rookie position coach in Thad Lewis. Additionally, a young but experienced veteran such as Drew Lock or Baker Mayfield is likely to eventually be added to the quarterback room, which could be a challenge Trask isn't ready to overcome.

Trask completed three of nine passes for 23 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in one game during the 2022 regular season.

EDGE Analysis

Trask didn't see action until the final half of the regular season, seeing the field after Blaine Gabbert in Week 18 against the Falcons. The soon-to-be third-year quarterback could be making a big leap this offseason, however, considering impending free agent Tom Brady may very well play elsewhere in 2023 and the team likely needs to see what it has in Trask, which it invested a second-round pick in back in 2021.

Head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Trask has a good chance to be active and would be the next man up if Tom Brady and Blaine Gabbert both leave Sunday's matchup against Atlanta early, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Buccaneers are locked into the fourth seed for the NFC playoffs, so while Brady will start, it's expected he won't play the whole game. If that's the case, Gabbert would operate as the primary backup, while Trask would come in if both veteran quarterbacks are taken out. Trask was drafted in the second round of the 2021 Draft but has yet to appear in a regular-season game.

Trask (coach's decision) is inactive Sunday against the Saints.

EDGE Analysis

Trask may be the heir apparent to Tom Brady, but he's still No. 3 on the team's quarterback positional depth chart. He'll continue to work in practice to move up to No. 2, ahead of Blaine Gabbert.

Trask completed seven of 10 passes for 94 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the Buccaneers' 27-10 preseason loss to the Colts on Saturday night.

EDGE Analysis

Trask unsurprisingly got the most playing time of the Buccaneers' three quarterbacks, and he delivered a solid showing overall to wrap up his preseason. The University of Florida product should have the benefit of another low-pressure season as the No. 3 quarterback behind Tom Brady and Blaine Gabbert while also reaping the benefits of learning from both veterans.

Trask has been "improving drastically" this summer according to offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Andrew Crane of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

The University of Florida product appeared to take a step back in the second preseason game against the Titans after he was impressive in the exhibition opener versus the Dolphins, throwing for 258 yards and completing 75.8 percent of his 33 attempts in that contest. However, Leftwich confirmed Wednesday that Trask is improving on various aspects of his game that aren't necessarily evident from a spectator's perspective, and he added that the second-year signal-caller's progress is especially relevant when measured against the amount of reps he's received. Tom Brady's recent 11-day personal leave from the team did open up plenty of short-term opportunity, however, and despite the future Hall of Famer's return, Trask should still see ample playing time in Saturday's preseason finale against the Colts.