Most NFL team rosters have already been sorted out by mid-August, but the Buccaneers are yet to reach a decision on who the starting quarterback will be, with receiver Mike Evans and the rest of the team following the news keenly.
Baker Mayfield is the slight favorite to start over Kyle Trask when week 1 kicks off against the Minnesota Vikings.
But the speculation is causing more harm than good at this late stage as the offense will want to start practising with the starter.
"We want to know who the starter’s going to be, you know, soon," said Evans after a joint session with the Jets.
"We can just keep working and [the starting quarterback] can take control of the offense," he added.
Mayfield is a former Heisman trophy winner (as a senior in 2017) for Oklahoma University becoming the first walk-on player to win the prestigious award.
The former Browns QB enjoyed his best season in 2020 when he led the Cleveland team to their first play-off win since 1994.
After inconsistency and poor relations with the management he was traded to the Panthers in 2022 before teaming up with the LA Rams late in that season.
In 2023 he signed for the Tampa Bay team. The former 2018 draft pick for the Browns is set to start ahead of Trask but the time is running out and the offense is getting a tad edgy.
Trask has only played one game after signing for the Buccaneers 2021, and the former University of Florida QB will be looking for an extended run this season.
He will be looking to emulate his college ball, especially the game against Ole Miss, when he passed for 6 touchdowns, and 416 yards, setting an all-time team record in a conference match.
He also was the first QB in SEC history to throw for 4 touchdowns in five consecutive games.
Those numbers are impressive and if he does start, and this is a big if, he will look to translate his Florida glory days into a long-lasting NFL career.
