Quarterback Kyle Trask is back in the NFL. The former Bucs second-round pick has signed with the Atlanta Falcons on their practice squad, head coach Raheem Morris announced on Wednesday. Atlanta also signed quarterback Easton Stick to the practice squad with many injuries to the position.

The Falcons lost second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. for the year as he injured his knee in last week’s game against the Panthers where he left the game early. Penix has a partially torn ACL that will require season-ending surgery. That means 37-year old backup Kirk Cousins will become the starter once again.

Cousins signed a huge four-year $180-million contract last season with Atlanta as they still drafted Penix in the first round. The veteran quarterback ultimately struggled and was benched for Penix instead. There was an exception to Cousins’ struggles, though, as he went off against the Bucs as he threw for a combined 785 passing yards and eight touchdowns in two games, each resulting in a win.

Tampa Bay hosts Atlanta on Thursday Night Football in Week 15, making this move significant.

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins – Photo by: USA Today

With Penix and third-stringer Emory Jones on injured reserve, the Falcons were in need of a quarterback. There is a very possible scenario in which Kyle Trask gets elevated to the active roster for Atlanta’s next game as the backup.

Trask was cut by the Bucs at the end of training camp as they were in favor of Teddy Bridgewater being the primary backup for Baker Mayfield and had to keep him on the 53-man roster as it was to risky to cut him and put him through waivers. The team also chose to see what they have in rookie undrafted free agent Connor Bazelak, who competed with Trask and Bridgewater throughout training camp and was signed to the practice squad.

Kyle Trask’s Career With The Bucs

Tampa Bay drafted Trask in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, going it 64th overall. It was the last pick of the round as the Bucs were the defending Super Bowl champions and therefore had the last pick to start off.

The selection was a polarizing one for a couple of reasons. Trask played his college football right up the road in Gainesville for the Florida Gators, so many Florida fans were excited about him coming to Tampa.

Also, some weren’t happy with the selection since Tom Brady was still the quarterback of this team and it would be best to maximize his time in Tampa by drafting a player that could help the team win immediately. Others felt it was a good move to get a quarterback and develop him to become the eventual starter while also learning under Brady. Either way, everybody had an opinion about it.

Trask was the third string quarterback behind Brady and Blaine Gabbert for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He got in one game in that latter season, ironically against the Falcons and went three for nine with 23 yards passing playing in the second half of the game.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: USA Today

The 2023 season was Trask’s big chance to finally become a starter in his career. The Bucs signed Baker Mayfield to an inexpensive deal and there was to be a quarterback competition between the two. Mayfield won the competition and had a career resurgence, leading the Bucs to another division title and making it to the second round of the postseason. The Bucs and Mayfield far exceeded expectations as many thought they would have a subpar season with Brady gone,  and Tampa Bay rewared Mayfield with a three year deal.

That was pretty much it for Trask as he relegated back to a primary backup for the 2024 season. He attempted one pass that year when Mayfield briefly left a game against the Colts but came back on the next drive.

Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Trask had a solid preseason in 2025, but the Bucs decided to go in another direction with Mayfield, Bridgewater and Baezelak. He had some tryouts during the season at different times with the Colts and Cardinals, but it ends up being another NFC South team with the Falcons that gives him his next opportunity.