The Bucs bashing by the national media continues this offseason, and this time it came in the form of friendly fire from a former Tampa Bay first-round draft pick.

ESPN NFL analyst Booger McFarland was the latest doubter to emerge when talking about the team, especially the quarterback situation where veteran Baker Mayfield is battling the inexperienced Kyle Trask for the right to replace Tom Brady as the starter.

To McFarland’s credit, he’s known for giving his honest assessment about NFL topics – regardless of whether or not his takes are popular or unpopular. And he doesn’t sugarcoat it when talking about either of his former teams, the Bucs or the Colts.

Yet McFarland did engage in some hyperbole when suggesting the Bucs be “entertainingly bad” this season.

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

What the former LSU product meant was to be entertaining enough to keep fans interested this season, but bad enough to get a high enough draft pick to be able to land a franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“I think it just shows you that they don’t feel like they have, to me, the long-term solution – either or, however you want to phrase it,” McFarland said. “I think the best thing for the Buccaneers right now, this year, is to be entertainingly bad, and here’s why. It’s because next year’s class of quarterbacks that come out of college football – they’ve got some franchise quarterbacks based on where they are now in their career.

“And I think when you look at it, we know what Baker Mayfield is. Kyle Trask is coming along. If you’re Tampa Bay, you want to be entertaining enough to get the fans in the stadium, but bad enough to get a high pick – when you can go out and truly get the franchise quarterback. Don’t spin your wheels trying to make Baker Mayfield something he hasn’t been, or Kyle Trask something he’s not, which is a franchise quarterback.”

PFF’s Trevor Sikkema Notes That There Will Be A “Mega-QB Draft Class” In 2024

It is true that the 2024 NFL Draft class is absolutely loaded. In fact, it’s a mega-QB draft class. That is something that Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds highlighted in an extensive interview with Pro Football Focus analyst Trevor Sikkema for an SR’s Fab 5 column this summer.

LSU QB Jayden Daniels – Photo by: USA Today

“I cannot remember a class that has had this many players where I could genuinely say they have a shot at being a Top 50 pick,” said Sikkema. “I think that just speaks to the depth and the overall quality of the group.”

Yet the Bucs do need a quarterback to replace Brady this year. And there is no harm in seeing if Mayfield can turn around his career in Tampa Bay, or seeing if Trask can develop into a starter and live up to his second-round draft status before investing another high pick in another QB. If that happens, the Bucs can still draft another quarterback to put in the pipeline – even later in the first round.

Sikkema believes there could be as many as 20 QBs next year, with possibly 10 being selected before Day 3.

So even if the Bucs are entertainingly good, they could still grab a quality quarterback outside the Top 20 picks – perhaps even in the second round.

ESPN’s Louis Riddick Agrees With Booger McFarland’s Bucs Take

In the same interview on ESPN, analyst Louis Riddick agreed with McFarland’s assessment of Tampa Bay’s quarterback situation this season. Add him to the growing list of Bucs doubters.

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

“Just keep [the fans] interested long enough to where they keep showing up – but let’s just make sure we get in position to get one of these other quarterbacks,” Riddick said. “You know what? I don’t disagree with you, Booger. I don’t necessarily disagree, and that’s not to be disrespectful. I mean, again, it really isn’t. I think the old adage is when you have two quarterbacks you don’t have any. And that probably is something that is going to play itself out this year.

“There will be sometimes where Tampa Bay rises up and is able to run the ball effectively, hit some big shots down the field, get some turnovers, make some good coaching decisions, and win some games. But I think at that position you’re going to see them just trying to get by with that this year, and then really reassess it after the season. If Kyle Trask is able to rise up and be a guy who nobody thinks that it could be at this point maybe, which is a true franchise quarterback, then great. Then that’s good for them. I just don’t see it happening.”