Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Kyle Trask is working out for the Carolina Panthers. Trask, the 62nd overall pick in the 2021 draft, spent four seasons in Tampa Bay without ever becoming a meaningful part of the offense.
The Panthers are still sorting out their quarterback room following Bryce Young's rough sophomore season. Young threw 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions last year, and the team finished with an NFL-worst 2-15 record.
Trask saw almost no action in Tampa Bay—10 career pass attempts, six completions, 23 yards. He spent his time as the backup behind Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield and never got a real shot.
Before the NFL, Trask was a legitimate college star at Florida. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2020 after throwing for 4,283 yards, 43 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a senior. That production made him a second-round pick. The NFL never quite matched the hype.
New Panthers head coach Dave Canales is the key connection here. Canales came over from Tampa Bay, where he served as offensive coordinator and helped Mayfield to a career resurgence last season. Before that, he helped Geno Smith find new life in Seattle. Canales has a track record of reviving quarterbacks written off elsewhere—Trask fits that profile.
Adding Trask would create competition for Young and pressure current backup Andy Dalton, who signed a two-year, $10 million deal in March 2023. Dalton's hold on the backup job is not guaranteed.
For Trask, this is a shot at staying in the league. If the Panthers sign him, it would be a minimum contract—low risk for Carolina, a lifeline for him. The team still has significant guaranteed money committed to Young's rookie deal, so there is no financial logic to overinvesting at the backup spot.
