The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft as a possible successor to Tom Brady in case he decides to hang up his cleats for good and call it a career. Before selecting Trask, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht talked to the 43-year-old Brady several times to inform him of the team’s decision to select a signal-caller in the Draft. Many are worried that Brady might do an Aaron Rodgers when the Green Bay Packers selected quarterback Jordan Love in last year’s Draft. But based on Trask’s interview on NFL Network, it looks that things would go smoothly between Brady and the rookie signal-caller.
Per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Trask said Brady reached out to him two days after the 2021 NFL Draft and checked on him if he’s already in town. “He was just making sure, or checking in on when I get into town so we can get together and maybe do some throwing and things like that,” Trask said, adding that Brady’s call meant a lot to him. Aside from Brady, Trask said other Buccaneers’ teammates also called him after the Draft. Trask said the move of some of his new teammates has reflected the team’s great culture and showed that there is a great group of people in the building.
Trask eager to learn from Brady
“I can’t wait to get started,” said Trask, adding that he’s eager to learn from Brady and do any role to help the team win a second straight Super Bowl.
As of now, the Buccaneers have four quarterbacks – Brady, backup Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Griffin and Trask. The rookie might get the No. 3 spot as Griffin was inactive for the whole of the 2020 season. Trask would wait a while for his chance to start as Brady is under contract with the Buccaneers for two more years. Brady signed a four-year contract extension that is basically a one-year deal, giving him a chance to play until he’s 45 years old.
Licht also said that Brady can play for the Buccaneers as long as he wants. In his first season with the Buccaneers, Brady led the team to its first Super Bowl since 2002 via a 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Buccaneers claim linebacker Ladarius Hamilton
The Buccaneers beefed up their defense further as they claimed outside linebacker Ladarius Hamilton from waivers after he was waived by the Dallas Cowboys, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.
Hamilton joined the Cowboys last season as an undrafted free agent but spent his whole rookie season on the practice squad. The Cowboys waived him on Wednesday, months after signing him to a new deal. The Buccaneers also signed cornerback Nate Brooks, a former teammate of Hamilton's at North Texas. Tampa Bay also picked another North Texas player in wide receiver Jaelon Darden in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
