Buccaneers' Todd Bowles hints at leader in team's QB competition

It sure sounds like head coach Todd Bowles feels that either veteran Baker Mayfield or 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask is leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback competition ahead of their preseason opener. 

"We got a good basis of where we are with those two guys," Bowles told SiriusXM NFL Radio personality Pat Kirwan on Wednesday afternoon, per the JoeBucsFan website. "And we just need to see some things Friday as far as running the offense and getting a feel for where they are. We kind of have a good basis and ground basis of what we want to do. But seeing them perform is completely different from game to practice." 

Bowles confirmed earlier in the day that Mayfield will start when the Buccaneers begin preseason play against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Friday night. That puts Trask on track to start the Aug. 19 game at the New York Jets unless Bowles and his staff change their minds about how they will handle the signal-callers over the next couple of weekends. 

"So we got an idea and we got a good feel," Bowles continued on Wednesday. "So we’ll kind of let it play out a little bit more, but we have a good stat sheet where we kind of have everything rated of how we see them." 

Trask seemingly closed the gap in the competition during training camp practices, but Mayfield remains the favorite to win the job for at least Week 1 in the eyes of multiple knowledgeable individuals. 

JoeBucsFan shared that former Buccaneers quarterback and current NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms said during Wednesday's edition of "PFT Live" he thinks Mayfield could start at the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 10 in part so the unproven Trask doesn't immediately play behind an offensive line that may struggle early into the season. Additionally, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport suggested on Wednesday the gig is still Mayfield's to lose. 

"Baker probably has the inside track here at being the starting quarterback just considering the money that he's making, the sort of fanfare of his signing and, you know, where he's been in the NFL and the experience that he's had," Rapoport said during the NFL Network "Inside Training Camp Live" program. 

Mayfield first entered the league as the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft and has a playoff victory on his career résumé. According to ESPN's Jenna Laine, the 28-year-old signed a one-year contract worth up to $8.5M with the Buccaneers in March. 

Trask, meanwhile, is on an inexpensive rookie deal and has only attempted nine career regular-season passes.