Todd Bowles Forced Into QB Decision After Baker Mayfield’s Injury at Practice, Per Insider

Todd Bowles didn’t exactly plan for this. He didn’t ask for the Buccaneers’ quarterback depth chart to get messy this late in the summer. But with Kyle Trask unable to impress the coaching staff during preseason and Teddy Bridgewater suddenly available, the head coach was boxed into a decision that says as much about the franchise’s priorities as it does about the players involved.

On paper, Bridgewater’s resume speaks for itself. A first-round pick in 2014, he’s seen it all: Pro Bowl nods, playoff starts, devastating injury rehab, and journeyman stability. Throughout his NFL journey playing for 7 different franchises before joining the Buccaneers, Bridgewater has been the steady hand teams have trusted when chaos hits.

Bucs insider Rick Stroud also tweeted, “The NFL is cause and react. Whole world is really. Still believe Baker Mayfield injuring his hand in practice and missing two days gave Trask No. 1 reps. But they were bad practices. Exposed him. The next day they signed Bridgewater and I think Trask’s fate was sealed.” That revealed their game plan with Bridgewater now the backup QB and Trask released ahead of the new season.

Bridgewater’s numbers back it up: 79 career games, 15,120 passing yards, 75 touchdowns, and a 90.5 passer rating. He has started playoff games, run Sean Payton’s offense efficiently, and even engineered a 5–0 stretch in 2019 when Drew Brees went down. He isn’t explosive, but he’s reliable, and in Bowles’ system, reliability might outweigh upside.

Trask, on the other hand, never really got the chance to prove he could be the guy. Drafted 64th overall in 2021, he arrived with size (6’5, 236 lbs) and the kind of classic pocket-passer profile the Bucs hoped could be molded behind Tom Brady. But across four seasons, Trask logged just 11 career passes, 4 completions, 28 total yards, and no touchdowns.

Even before the injury designation that led to his release, it was clear the Bucs’ coaching staff had cooled on his long-term future. The measurables didn’t translate into playmaking. Patience wore thin. And this is where Todd Bowles’ reality comes in. His defense is playoff-caliber. His offense, led by Baker Mayfield, still needs a safety net. After three straight years of relying on short-term solutions, Brady’s final run, Mayfield’s revival, and now Bridgewater’s arrival, Bowles is left managing expectations, not building futures.

Signing Bridgewater isn’t about upside. It’s about insulation. It’s about Bowles knowing that if Mayfield misses time, he can’t afford a developmental project under center. His seat is too warm, his roster too talented, and his defense too good for the season to collapse on the back of inexperience.

Bowles didn’t want this decision. But in Tampa Bay, it was the only one he could make.

Todd Bowles’ Starter Missed the Entire Preseason

Baker Mayfield’s preseason story wasn’t about highlight throws or sharp two-minute drills. It was about waiting. A hand injury suffered in practice in early August kept him out of all three exhibition games, leaving Todd Bowles to sort through a mix of Kyle Trask, Connor Bazelak, and veteran Teddy Bridgewater for game reps.

Trask had his moments, an efficient 12 of 16 for 129 yards in the opener, followed by a dip to 3 of 10 against Pittsburgh before bouncing back with 13 of 17 for 93 yards and a touchdown in the finale. His completion rate across the stretch looked solid in spots, but the inconsistency stood out just as much.

Bridgewater, meanwhile, looked more polished in limited action. Against the Steelers, he went 6 of 11 for 85 yards and two touchdowns. The poise and the ability to finish drives were evident. However, he wasn’t asked to do much more than that.

The contrast painted a clear picture: Trask showed growth but still swings between steady and shaky. While Bridgewater can steady the ship but isn’t the kind of quarterback you build around. That leaves the Buccaneers exactly where they were before August, waiting for Mayfield. And despite missing all three preseason games, he’s still the best quarterback they’ve got. After all, this is the same QB who threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and posted a 106.8 passer rating last season. Numbers like that don’t lie, and neither does the Bucs’ belief that Mayfield remains their unquestioned QB1.