No NFL team has made more quarterback headlines this season than the Carolina Panthers, who benched 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young after just two games in favor of veteran Andy Dalton.
This decision by head coach Dave Canales, formerly the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator, paid off right away, with Dalton leading the Panthers to a 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, securing their first victory of the season. Dalton, a 14-year NFL veteran, shined in the game, becoming the first quarterback this season to throw for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder suggested a trade that would reunite Canales with his former Buccaneers player, backup quarterback Kyle Trask. This trade assumes the Panthers may move on from Bryce Young, whose trade value could fluctuate the longer he sits on the bench.
“It’s hard to see a scenario where the Panthers go back to Young as the starter, and they will need a solid backup if something happens to Dalton,” Holder noted. “Trask knows Canales’ system from their time together in Tampa Bay, and perhaps he could become the team’s future quarterback.”
Trask has shown limited potential during his time with the Buccaneers. If the team could get a 3rd- or 4th-round pick in return for him, it would be a win for the reigning NFC South champions. Before the season, Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton ranked Trask 30th out of 32 backup quarterbacks, citing his minimal regular-season experience.
The last time Trask was close to a starting role, Tampa Bay quickly signed Baker Mayfield to a 1-year deal, and Mayfield comfortably won the starting job. Mayfield went on to make his first Pro Bowl in 2023 and signed a 3-year, $100 million contract in 2024.
Trask, who was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, has played in just three games, with no starts, touchdowns, or interceptions, completing 3-of-10 passes for 33 yards. He’s now in the final year of his 4-year, $5.8 million rookie contract.
If Tampa Bay trades Trask, they would likely elevate practice squad quarterback Michael Pratt to the QB2 spot behind Mayfield. Pratt, the 2023 AAC Offensive Player of the Year, was signed by the Buccaneers in August 2024 after being released by the Packers.
