Bucs QB Kyle Trask shines despite loss in preseason opener vs. Dolphins

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent their second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft on Kyle Trask, they were hoping to land their franchise quarterback of the future, and the eventual successor to Tom Brady.

After Trask was inactive for every game of his rookie season, many wondered if the Bucs could have spent that pick more wisely.

Heading into this year’s preseason, the pressure was on for Trask to prove himself ready to supplant veteran Blaine Gabbert as Brady’s backup this season, instead of riding the pine every week for a second straight year.

If his performance in Saturday night’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins is any indication, he might just be ready to make that jump.

Despite a 26-24 loss, Trask delivered an impressive performance, completing 25 of his 33 passes for 258 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He bounced back from a pair of costly turnovers at the end of the first half, the blame for both of which can’t fall squarely on his shoulder alone, making some big throws in key moments to help put the Bucs back in front in the second half.

After the Dolphins took the lead back yet again in the final minutes, Trask led the Bucs down the field and into range for a potential game-winning field goal, converting a key fourth down to keep the drive alive. Though the would-be winning kick glanced off the upright, the fact that Trask got them in position was a huge win.

There are still two more preseason games to go, and Gabbert himself was impressive in his limited action Saturday night (5-for-5, 56 yards, and a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jaelon Darden), but it looks like this might be an actual competition if Trask keeps proving his development is quickly moving in the right direction.

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Story originally appeared on Buccaneers Wire