The Bucs were faced with an impossible task this offseason. On Feb. 1, Tom Brady retired. It wasn’t unexpected, and it certainly was inevitable. But that didn’t make the idea of replacing him any easier.

While the start of the 2023 regular season is only two weeks away and Tampa Bay has only just named Baker Mayfield its starting quarterback for Week 1, it’s looking more and more like the team handled its quarterback situation the best way it could this offseason. Whether this year and/or the offseason that follows yields a real quarterback of the future remains to be seen.

But the Bucs can at least feel good about the fact that they’ve put themselves in a good situation for 2023, a situation that will give them a chance to find their next “guy” within the next 12 months.

The Bucs Were Right To Eat The Tom Brady Money In 2023

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The first correct decision that the Bucs made after Tom Brady’s retirement was to go ahead and eat the money they owed the greatest quarterback of all time. By absorbing Brady’s $35.1 million cap hit this year, Tampa Bay got it over with and made sure Brady wouldn’t be on the books in 2024 and beyond.

Yes, having that much of the cap dedicated to a player who won’t suit up for the team this year may be a bit of a hard pill to swallow, but it was necessary. It means Tampa Bay will have more freedom to maneuver next offseason. There are a couple of young stars who will be due for contract extensions, plus the roster will need some retooling as the post-Brady years really begin.

And even while absorbing that Brady money, the Bucs — thanks in large part to cap wizard Mike Greenberg — managed to make moves this offseason that allowed them to build a roster that can still compete in 2023. Tampa Bay may be looked at nationally as a team destined for a top-five pick in 2024, but internally, it’s a team that feels it’s ready to compete for a third straight division title this year.

The Baker Mayfield-Kyle Trask Competition Was Well-Planned

Bucs QBs Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs couldn’t have expected to have an easy time finding a new quarterback once Tom Brady retired. They were never going to be in position to land Aaron Rodgers, and the likes of Derek Carr and Jimmy Garroplo never seemed like possibilities for Tampa Bay.

As it turns out, the Bucs went about it the best way they could, choosing to replace Brady by having a competition between a value veteran looking to revive his career (Baker Mayfield) or a draft pick still on his rookie contract (Kyle Trask). Having a competition between Mayfield and Trask wasn’t costly in terms of cap space, and it looks to have been beneficial for both players.

Mayfield will be the starter to open 2023, but there is no doubt that he was pushed by Trask. The competition was healthy for the veteran, who is on his fourth team in the last couple of years. It was also good for Trask, who got his first real chance to show his development and get some reps with the starting offense.

The Bucs Will Have Their Next Step By The End Of 2023

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Where the Bucs have really set themselves up well at the quarterback position is with the timeline. By the end of the 2023 season, they should know what the future will look like at the most important position on the field. Because they’ve set themselves up to see a clear outcome.

With his 69 career starts, Baker Mayfield was always the favorite to win the job for a head coach and who can’t afford to take any big gambles right now. Todd Bowles needs to win, and choosing the experienced quarterback — both in terms of the NFL and the new scheme brought in by new offensive coordinator Dave Canales — made the most sense.

Mayfield may prove that he still has some juice left. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick will get the chance to play his way to a new multi-year deal next offseason. If that happens, the Bucs have an answer.

But if he falters during the season, Tampa Bay could look to Kyle Trask. If the 2021 second-round pick assumes the starting job at some point and looks the part of a franchise guy, the team will have a answer. Now, if neither quarterback really establishes themselves as the future, the Bucs will know they need to spend an early-round pick in the 2024 Draft on a quarterback. In other words, they’ll have an answer.

So, yeah, they’re bound to get a clear answer one way or another.

Tampa Bay Has Set Itself Up For A Variety Of Potentially Positive Outcomes

North Carolina QB Drake Maye – Photo by: USA Today

Now, the fact is, the Bucs’ quarterback situation has a number of different positive outcomes. Baker Mayfield leading the team to another division title and proving to be the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be in Cleveland all those years ago would be big for Tampa Bay. A strong year in 2023 could position him as the team’s signal-caller for the next few years. He’ll only turn 29 next April.

If Mayfield isn’t the guy, Kyle Trask may get a chance to play some meaningful snaps this year and give the Bucs enough to make a decision on him for the future. He’s signed through the 2024 season, so he’s sure to be in the mix next year. What role he plays in that room next season is what is yet to be determined.

If he plays this season and establishes himself as a reliable NFL quarterback, that’s great news for the Bucs. If he doesn’t, the team has its backup (or early-season bridge guy) for a rookie quarterback next year.

The rookie quarterback scenario is the wild card. If neither Mayfield nor Trask do enough to warrant consideration for being the future in Tampa Bay, general manager Jason Licht and his staff will still be in a good position. That outcome would allow the Bucs to take advantage of a deep 2024 quarterback class (something they should probably do anyway). The team could find its future face of the franchise in next year’s talented class, which would be yet another positive outcome that’s on the table right now.

There are bound to be negative outcomes in all of this. There’s a reality where Mayfield and Trask both fail and Tampa Bay misses on whichever quarterback it selects next April. But the point stands that as of now, the Bucs have handled this quarterback situation the best way possible. What comes next is the fun (and unknown) part.