Needs competition, say radio duo.
So long as nothing catastrophic happens, the Bucs should be playoff bound in January say the two men who co-host the best damn football show on national radio.
And — as JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman called the duo live on their show once — these “two learned men” are none other than Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller of “Movin’ the Chains,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Yesterday, the two were discussing the quarterback rooms of the NFC South when they came to the Bucs. Both really like Baker Mayfield, but had very, very little if anything good to say about the Bucs’ backup quarterbacks.
The Bucs are playing with matches, the believe, banking on Kyle Trask as the No. 2.
Kirwan and Miller host their show at a Bucs training camp practice each summer. Kirwan, a former linebackers coach and pro player personnel director of the Jets, and Miller, a former NFL backup and starting quarterback who once had a cup of coffee with Chucky and the Bucs, scrutinize and take notes at the practices they attend.
Neither has any faith in Trask.
“I do like Trask,” Miller said after grousing about Trask. “I don’t like his arm. I don’t think he can drive the football.”
Kirwan was much more direct. In grading Trask, he said Trask is a “zero” because he’s barely played. But he felt bad for him and gave him a “one” grade because he at least has stayed on the Bucs roster and has seen the field a handful of times.
“The guy has never thrown a touchdown, never thrown an interception, never been sacked, never started a game, and in three years, has thrown 11 passes,” Kirwan said. “In the last two years, he’s thrown two passes.”
Miller reiterated he didn’t like Trask’s arm and believes he cannot be counted on for a big play. Plus, Miller said Trask is not mobile. Why the Bucs didn’t bring in Carson Wentz to at least challenge Trask puzzled Miller.
“Well, they drafted Trash pretty high, obviously he didn’t go first round, but he was a higher draft pick by them, so I think they feel good about him and what they scouted,” Miller said. “So to me, if, if [Jason] Licht were to bring somebody in to replace him, I think that’s an indictment on Licht of how highly they drafted [Trask].”
Trask was a second-round pick in 2021.
“This is the team that should win the division again,” Kirwan said. “They’re good enough to win it again with Baker. Are you going to let it all fall apart? This is a house of cards if he gets hurt.”
Kirwan then rattled off who he believes are capable backups the Bucs could have had, such as Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett, Marcus Mariota, and yes, Kirwan said the Bucs could have brought back America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston. All, per Kirwain, are better options than Trask. (For the record, Dalton was not on the free agent market this year.)
Miller then noted how Mayfield was sacked 40 times last year. He said that’s way too much for the quality of the Bucs’ offensive line. That, Miller said, should set off alarm bells in Licht’s office to upgrade the backup quarterbacks.
There are third-string quarterbacks better than Trask, Kirwan added, floating the name of Dorian Thompson-Robinson of the Steelers. He has starting experience and if drama queen Aaron Rodgers does sign with Pittsburgh, DTR would be on the chopping block.
Kirwan said the Bucs would have been better off with Gardner Minshew, Case Keenum, Desmond Ridder and Teddy Bridgewater backing up Mayfield.
“I don’t like those guys,” Kirwan said, but added he likes them as backups better than he likes Trask. For Kirwan, his biggest hang-up about Trask is inexperience.
And, Kirwan noted, if he were Todd Bowles, he’d put Mayfield in bubble wrap until September.
“I would not play Baker one single down in the summer,” Kirwan said. “I can’t afford to have anything happen to him. He knows what he’s doing, so I’m ready for the opener.”
“This Joe” isn’t big on paying backups because 9 times out of 10, that team is screwed if a starter goes down regardless who the quarterback is. Nick Foles with the Eagles, rescuing the team after a Wentz injury and leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl title, is an accident, plain and simple.
Joe would much rather see the Bucs spend money on acquiring Trey Hendrickson than loose change on a guy you pray never steps on the field.
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