Buccaneers’ QB battle gets murkier amid Baker Mayfield’s interception problem

The quarterback battle in Tampa Bay continues. 

While Baker Mayfield was brought in as the presumptive starter following Tom Brady’s February retirement, former second-round pick Kyle Trask has kept himself in the mix and given the Buccaneers’ coaching staff a lot to think about. 

Mayfield, though, will get the first chance to further prove himself.

Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Mayfield will start Friday’s preseason opener against the Steelers and Trask will start next week against the Jets. 

Bowles will not name an official starting quarterback until at least Week 3 of the preseason, according to ProFootballTalk.

That provides both Mayfield and Trask time and game results to create separation in their competition.

The two were listed as co-starters on the team’s first official depth chart that was released on Tuesday.

Mayfield, 28, signed a one-year $8.5 million contract with the Bucs in March, but hasn’t given the team a big enough reason to lock him into the starting position yet.

“Competition-wise, we’re trying to make the QB room as good as possible,” Mayfield said last month.

“I’ve always said, ‘The franchise will go as the QB room does’ — how they jell, how they get everybody, how they communicate, get everybody on the same page, how they lead.”

The former No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft started his first camp with the Bucs on a sour note, throwing seven interceptions in nine practices, according to Fox Sports’ Greg Auman.

He is competing for the starting job with Trask, who was selected in the second-round of the 2021 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay but sat behind Brady for the last two seasons.

Mayfield and Trask reportedly combined for five interceptions Tuesday. 

The two have been splitting time working with the first-team offense, alternating every other day.

Mayfield is still trying to make good on the promise he flashed in his early seasons with the Browns after being taken with the first pick off the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Oklahoma product was ultimately pushed out of Cleveland in July 2022 with the acquisition of Deshaun Watson.

Mayfield had declined in production since leading the club to its first playoff victory in 26 years in 2020.

Mayfield spent less than one season with the Panthers before being benched then requesting a trade and landing with the Rams –– his final stop before Tampa Bay.