Baker Mayfield’s experience as an NFL starter helped install him as the favorite in the Buccaneers’ quarterback competition, but Kyle Trask is putting up a fight in training camp.
That was the word from offensive coordinator Dave Canales during a Tuesday press conference. Canales acknowledged that Mayfield’s experience helped him get off to a fast start this summer, but that things have “absolutely” tightened up in recent days.
“First couple of days, I think the experience that Baker brings — just playing in games, being in camps, going through installs — you could see where the offense was jelling really well,” Canales said, via Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times. “The timing of the snaps and all that is really critical for us, so probably a little bit of an edge for Baker to start off, just in terms of the smoothness of the offense. But it just took a couple of days for Kyle to really settle in, and then what we saw is, the last two practices Kyle really showed what he can do: stretching the field with his arm, getting the ball out quickly, making decisions. So I’m really excited about both of those guys and the progression that they’ve made throughout the last couple of days.”
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said he has a date in mind for making a decision about Week One and it would allow for both quarterbacks to get time running the offense in preseason games, so there will be time for the picture to change again before anything is set in stone.
