Kyle

Trask

Smith-Schuster is touring wide receiver-needy teams, working out with the Chargers Monday after visiting the Vikings on Monday. Several other names also worked out for the Chargers, including former 49ers WR Ronnie Bell and quarterbacks Kyle Trask and Jake Browning. With Trey Lance on injured reserve and several Chargers receivers dealing with injuries, the Chargers are looking for reinforcements.

He’ll remain an emergency quarterback option for the team per Jeremy Fowler, which is a nice way of saying he’s not making the practice squad either. The 28-year-old former second-round pick will look for work elsewhere.

The move makes sense considering Trask served as the backup quarterback in Tampa under Dave Canales. Trask remains unlikely to crack camp as a member of the 53-man roster, most likely simply providing additional depth at the position through the end of camp. The move that makes the most procedural sense would be to retain undrafted free agent Haynes King on the practice squad while Kenny Pickett serves as the primary backup to Bryce Young.

Per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, Easton Stick will also have a tryout during mincamp. Trask re-signed with the Bucs last offseason but failed to crack the roster at the end of training camp. He later joined the Falcons’ practice squad. The Saints currently have Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson as options to back up Tyler Shough.

None of the four of them signed yet, so it’s possible the Colts are just doing some homework on a potential Anthony Richardson replacement at backup quarterback rather than settling for this pool of candidates. Trask hadn’t had a workout since being released by the Bucs at last cuts.

The Buccaneers will work out an injury settlement for Trask, as he’s currently dealing with a shoulder issue. A second-round pick for some reason in 2021, Trask has been the backup quarterback for the Bucs over the last four seasons, but that honor will now apparently go to Teddy Bridgewater. Trask is likely a practice squad player for a new organization in the coming days.

Trask was initially drafted in the second round of the 2021 draft, spending the last four years as the Buccaneers’ backup quarterback. He’s only thrown 11 passes in the NFL, completing four of them for 28 yards. Trask will backup Baker Mayfield again for 2025.

Mayfield was sacked on consecutive plays and was brutally twisted up and taken down on the second one. After the second sack, Mayfield’s right ankle was accidentally stepped on by Jadeveon Clowney, slamming the outer side of Mayfield’s right ankle down to the ground, pinned underneath Clowney’s body weight. Update: Mayfield returned to play but immediately threw an interception.

Kyle Trask is expected to get most of the Bucs’ first-team reps in practice this week with Mayfield struggling through a rib injury he picked up in last week’s loss to the Saints. Tampa head coach Todd Bowles said he expects Mayfield to play in the team’s critical Week 18 game against the Panthers. Mayfield’s Friday practice status will likely dictate whether he will be active against Carolina. “I’ll do everything I can to be out there,” Mayfield said Wednesday. “That’s for sure. Division on the line. Playoff hopes on the line. Going back to Carolina? Yeah, I’ll do everything. I can.” Mayfield has the NFL’s sixth highest drop back EPA this season.

Mayfield suffered the injury while attempting a sneak at the goal line. He stayed down for a while after getting piled on by a few players near the end zone. He eventually limped off the field, clearly in a lot of pain. Kyle Trask is now under center for the Bucs.