Who do you WANT to be the next QB?

[Snake]

Just read an article stating gabbert it s going to get his shot. Not a bad idea with trask in the wings as a just in case I guess. Not sure how I feel about gabbert though, but that could at least give trask more time to develop. Then if neither works out you can find another veteran I suppose.

It’s an absolutely terrible idea unless they’re looking to tank.

[Buccabeer]

Just read an article stating gabbert it s going to get his shot. Not a bad idea with trask in the wings as a just in case I guess. Not sure how I feel about gabbert though, but that could at least give trask more time to develop. Then if neither works out you can find another veteran I suppose.

With the #1 pick in the 2023 Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select......

[Cheb]

Just read an article stating gabbert it s going to get his shot. Not a bad idea with trask in the wings as a just in case I guess. Not sure how I feel about gabbert though, but that could at least give trask more time to develop. Then if neither works out you can find another veteran I suppose.

Gabbert isn't even under contract.

[mdb1958]

Just read an article stating gabbert it s going to get his shot. Not a bad idea with trask in the wings as a just in case I guess. Not sure how I feel about gabbert though, but that could at least give trask more time to develop. Then if neither works out you can find another veteran I suppose.

Gabbert isn't even under contract.

He was just telling us the internet told him something

[BJJ34]

Gabbert isn't even under contract.

He was just telling us the internet told him something

Is this where Bootz tells us all to google it?

[MJW]

Just read an article stating gabbert it s going to get his shot. Not a bad idea with trask in the wings as a just in case I guess. Not sure how I feel about gabbert though, but that could at least give trask more time to develop. Then if neither works out you can find another veteran I suppose.

Gabbert isn't even under contract.

We all know he will be though. I don't think it's here nor there. The only question is what role, with what expectation. But it should be obvious at this point that BA loves the guy.

[real bucs fan]

If the plan is for Trask to compete with someone for his shot, I guess Gabbert can be that competition. The guy had enough talent to be a high first round pick, knows the offence as well as anyone, and is a great teammate.

I’m firmly in the trade for Wilson camp though, assuming we can’t lure Brady out of retirement.

[MJW]

If the plan is for Trask to compete with someone for his shot, I guess Gabbert can be that competition. The guy had enough talent to be a high first round pick, knows the offence as well as anyone, and is a great teammate.

I’m firmly in the trade for Wilson camp though, assuming we can’t lure Brady out of retirement.

I think a duo of Trask and Gabbert is 100% one of the options OBP is thinking about right now. From the rumors (from solid sources) that we're kicking the tires on Wilson and Watson, I think we're going to be looking for another Brady "lightning in a bottle" quarterbacks. But if neither of those scenarios work out (it ain't just up to us), I think OBP will go with those two and use the considerable cap savings to improve the rest of the roster. And like I've said, I kind of like that scenario better than throwing around multiple first round picks and $40 Mil APY contracts right now.

[BJJ34]

If the plan is for Trask to compete with someone for his shot, I guess Gabbert can be that competition. The guy had enough talent to be a high first round pick, knows the offence as well as anyone, and is a great teammate.

I’m firmly in the trade for Wilson camp though, assuming we can’t lure Brady out of retirement.

I think a duo of Trask and Gabbert is 100% one of the options OBP is thinking about right now. From the rumors (from solid sources) that we're kicking the tires on Wilson and Watson, I think we're going to be looking for another Brady "lightning in a bottle" quarterbacks. But if neither of those scenarios work out (it ain't just up to us), I think OBP will go with those two and use the considerable cap savings to improve the rest of the roster. And like I've said, I kind of like that scenario better than throwing around multiple first round picks and $40 Mil APY contracts right now.

We’ve seen worse QBs do better in good offenses. And take their teams further.

Blaine could have picked up all the things from Brady he needed to. He could be using Twitter and these reports to be throwing with Evans and others in the offseason to perfect timing.

But he could also be reading these reports and shitting his pants.

[Doctor]

Could you imagine if Gabbert actually leads a top offense? All the haters and malcontents' heads would explode.

[Doctor]

^Top board curmudgeon holding on to his head

[Snake]

That would require him being good. Considering he’s never been good in 11 previous NFL seasons, forecast is unlikely.

[Doctor]

Oh of course, highly unlikely. Then again it's not like highly unlikely things don't happen in the NFL. I mean Tom Brady won a SB with the Bucs, where would you have put that in likeliness a few years ago?

He'd also have to be on the roster. I'm merely laughing at the thought of the board on fire should it come to pass.

[Dread]

Just read an article stating gabbert it s going to get his shot. Not a bad idea with trask in the wings as a just in case I guess. Not sure how I feel about gabbert though, but that could at least give trask more time to develop. Then if neither works out you can find another veteran I suppose.

Here are a couple, the second one is basically parrots the first though.

I've been saying this (Gabbert/Trask) is the most likely scenario.

FAB 2. Bucs Have Been Preparing For Gabbert 2.0

Bruce Arians and Jason Licht aren’t the only members of the Bucs organization that are fond of Gabbert. I spoke with quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen about Gabbert in early January before the Bucs’ playoff win against Philadelphia and just weeks before Tom Brady’s retirement. Christensen marveled at Gabbert’s knowledge of Arians’ offense.

“I don’t think anyone will realize how much Blaine helped Tom, especially in the Super Bowl run,” Christensen said. “Griff (Ryan Griffin) and Blaine really teamed up with Tom and helped merge everything. They did more work than anyone will ever realize and making that call sheet work for everybody. For him to dig in and have that big of a role in terms of how everyone sees a game plan and how everyone sees a call sheet helps him. It’s the whys – here’s why Tom likes this route, here’s why Tom is going to call versus Quarters coverage, or what Tom does against the blitz.

“He’s had a front-row seat, but it’s even more than that because he’s a part of it. He’s part of developing the game plan. He is part of getting the calls on the sheet. He’s part of executing, critiquing and tweaking it. That has made him a better quarterback already and kept him involved. Blaine’s not a backup quarterback. He’s an assistant quarterback coach. He is an extra set of eyes for Tom. He’s the coordinator’s helper. He is all of those things.”

There’s no doubt that being around Brady, the best quarterback in football history, helped the development of rookie Kyle Trask last year. But according to Christensen, Gabbert also benefited greatly.

“Anyone who watches Tom Brady work benefits you,” Christensen said. “How does he do things? And how does he stay calm? How does he manage people? He’s an elite leader – what does that look like? Why do people respond to him? All of those things have already made Blaine a better quarterback already and will do so in the long run.”

Gabbert turns 33 in October, but he still has the physical tools that made him the 10th overall pick by Jacksonville in the 2011 NFL Draft. He’s got ideal size at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, good mobility and a rocket arm.

But it’s been poor decision-making that has been undoing over his 10-year NFL career. The Bucs believe part of that lies in the fact that Gabbert had a different offensive coordinator in each of his first eight years in the NFL.

Think about that.

Eight different offensive coordinators with eight different systems in Gabbert’s first eight years in the league. Three years in Jacksonville, three years in San Francisco, one year in Arizona and one year in Tennessee.

Gabbert didn’t have any stability whatsoever in any offense until 2019 when he reunited with Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, who was the Cardinals quarterbacks coach in 2017. The Bucs are hoping that the continuity in Arians’ offense helps produce a new and improved Gabbert 2.0.

“He feels comfortable,” Christensen said. “He’s been in B.A.’s system for a while. He and Byron Leftwich go way back. I think there is comfortable here unlike when he was a first-round pick and he went to the Jacksonville Jaguars and was rushed in as the savior of the city. He’s a seasoned guy now. He has a ton of ability and I do feel like it’s coming together for him. He really throws the ball well.”

I asked Christensen what he thought the future might hold for Gabbert and if it might be in Tampa Bay. Keep in mind this was just a few weeks before Brady abruptly retired.

“It’s going to come down to what he wants to do,” Christensen said. “Does he want to go somewhere else and play? You could be sitting here waiting five years for Tom to retire. Some of it could be that – personal goals. We talk about that a lot. Do you go into a non-comfortable situation where you’re not familiar with things? Or do you try to sit patiently here? There is a lot that goes into. If you play good quarterback, stuff tends to work out for you. So don’t look too far ahead.”

Gabbert signed a one-year deal with the Bucs in 2019 to compete for the backup job with Griffin behind starter Jameis Winston. A preseason shoulder injury that year forced him to go on injured reserve. He re-signed with the Bucs in 2020 and beat out Griffin for the right to back up Brady. After helping Brady prepare to win a Super Bowl, Gabbert was back in Tampa Bay for the 2021 campaign on another one-year deal.

“Every offseason is an evaluation for him,” Christensen said. “Where am I headed? What do I want to do? What are the opportunities out there? Which one fits me? Do I want to help Tampa Bay win another Super Bowl? Do I want to try to go off and do it on my own? Am I too old to rebuild a place? Do I need to find a place that is established? It’s not easy trying to find your spot. There are a lot of quarterbacks in this league who fail because they get into the wrong situation.

“If the situation had been different, things would have gone differently. Tom is a great example. He’s in the same place and the same system for 20 years and has the chance to develop. There aren’t many places right now that are letting quarterbacks develop. I think there are eight coaching jobs open today (editor’s note: back in early January). That’s eight starting quarterbacks that will have a new head coach, a new coordinator, a new system, a new quarterbacks coach and a new way to handle Mike-Sam blitzes. It can really set back your development as a quarterback. It’s not easy.”

It’s been a while since Gabbert had the chance to start and play in a whole game. That came in Tennessee in 2018 when he started the season finale, a 33-17 loss to Indianapolis. Gabbert was 18-of-29 for 165 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

His most extensive action in Tampa Bay came in the second half of a 47-7 win at Detroit in 2020 when he completed 9-of-15 passes for 143 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Christensen believes the time on the sidelines can actually benefit Gabbert’s development.

“Absolutely,” Christensen said. “When you don’t have to play your body is not getting hit. Your body gets a chance to recover. You get to train your body a different way. If you’re starting during your rookie year and you’re in your 15th year, you haven’t had the chance to really rest your body and let your body recover. There are a lot of factors in this thing. But there is always the need for good quarterback play in this league. I think veterans get more important because everyone is always changing systems and at least veterans have logged some miles. They have 75,000 miles on the engine, so they have the chance to jump in quicker and understand it as opposed to a rookie.

“The Jacksonville kid (Trevor Lawrence) now will be in his second system in his second year. How do you develop these guys? I think that puts a premium on some of these veteran quarterbacks. That’s why you can see a guy like Nick Foles go into a situation and win some games.”

Perhaps it’s Blaine Gabbert in Tampa Bay in 2022 who can go in and win some games as the starter.

Among all the possibilities for the next starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one insider believes the team won’t look far.

Tom Brady officially announced his retirement on Feb. 1, which set off a wave of rumors about what the Bucs will do next. Scott Reynolds, a 25-year veteran of covering the Bucs for Pewter Report, explained that the Bucs front office has “been preparing for” veteran backup Blaine Gabbert to take over.

Bucs quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen told Reynolds that Gabbert played a large role in helping Brady adapt to the offense in 2020. Christensen even called Gabbert “an extra set of eyes for Tom” and “the [offensive] coordinator’s helper” in games.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, who has coached Gabbert for five seasons, called him “the most underrated quarterback in the NFL” during a Pewter Report podcast in 2021. Arians indirectly reiterated his confidence in Gabbert if Brady retired when asked about it right after the season ended.

“I’d be comfortable if it is. I like what we have,” Arians told the media on Jan. 24.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht expressed confidence in Gabbert’s arm strength and knowledge of Arians’ system during a 2021 interview with Pewter Report. Licht didn’t mention Gabbert during a Feb. 1 press conference on the heels of Brady’s retirement but noted that they’ve “been preparing” for that day.

Gabbert’s Best NFL Situation Ever

If the Bucs go with Gabbert, a best case scenario could bring about the resurgence of a career that began as a draft bust.

In talking with Christensen, Reynolds sees Gabbert playing the best football of his career as a legitimate possibility. Gabbert, a former No. 10 pick in 2011, has “ideal size at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, good mobility and a rocket arm,” Reynolds wrote.

Gabbert just had no stability amid his 48 touchdowns and 47 interceptions before joining the Bucs in 2019. He went through eight different offensive coordinators from 2011 through the 2018 season, Reynolds noted. Those weren’t teams in Super Bowl contention, either.

It’s now been four seasons for Gabbert with the Bucs under Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. They all spent the 2017 season together, too, with the Arizona Cardinals when Arians coached the team and Leftwich coached the quarterbacks, Reynolds added.

In addition, Gabbert worked with and learned from Brady for two seasons. Historically, several of Brady’s backups with his former team in New England did well in his absence. Matt Cassel led the Patriots to an 11-5 record in 2008. Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett both won games in Brady’s absence in 2016.

“He’s a seasoned guy now,” Christensen said of Gabbert per Reynolds. “He has a ton of ability and I do feel like it’s coming together for him.”

This Formula Worked Before in Tampa Bay
The Bucs didn’t have a Hall of Fame quarterback lead the team to the franchise’s first Super Bowl win in 2003.

Brad Johnson, an NFL journeyman who made two Pro Bowls, quarterbacked the Bucs that season. The Bucs just needed Johnson to be a good game manager with solid talent on offense, which was backed by an all-time great defense.

It looks similar to the idea of the Bucs going with Gabbert according to Luke Easterling of USA Today’s All Bucs. The 2022 Bucs could arguably have more offensive talent than the 2002 team depending on who stays from the 2021 squad, but the defense would be hard-pressed to play like the 2002 squad, Easterling noted.

The Bucs could take a step toward making it happen by re-signing Gabbert in March.

[Doctor]

Gabbert/Trask has to be the favorite because it's the one with the least variables. Two guys in the system, the vet FA has no stronger landing spot than returning here.

Every other QB option brings in another front office and a slew of new variables, any one of which could put an end to that option.

[Dread]

Could you imagine if Gabbert actually leads a top offense? All the haters and malcontents' heads would explode.

Jameis Winston threw for 5k yards and 33TDs along with a few other metrics that were near the top of the league. Everyone focuses on the 30 INTs, which shouldn't be ignored. But the Bucs passing offense in 2019 was a top 5 unit.

That was in BA's first year here. Now it's 2022 and literally every facet of the team is better than it was in 2019.

Oline is better with Wirfs at RT along with D. Smith playing better
Assuming we re-sign Godwin he's in his prime now along with Evans
The defense is significantly better as a unit than the 2019 squad

Should Gabbert be the QB1 it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone if he's among the league leaders in TDs and Yards. Imo much like Jameis it will be a matter of avoiding negative plays (sacks and INTs)

[King Bootz]

Going from Tom Brady to Blaine Gabbert. Now THAT'S a Bucs life.

[Snake]

In talking with Christensen, Reynolds sees Gabbert playing the best football of his career as a legitimate possibility. Gabbert, a former No. 10 pick in 2011, has “ideal size at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, good mobility and a rocket arm,” Reynolds wrote.

He also scored a 48/50 on the Wonderlic. Which his PR firm noted on his (ridiculous) Wikipedia page:

Gabbert scored 48 (99th test percentile; 50 possible), one of the highest scores ever achieved in NFL drafts ("genius - MENSA - scientific" level intelligence).

All the things Christensen mentioned are important in their own ways, but fail to broach why he's truly a mediocre QB in the NFL.

“Anyone who watches Tom Brady work benefits you,” Christensen said. “How does he do things? And how does he stay calm? How does he manage people? He’s an elite leader – what does that look like? Why do people respond to him? All of those things have already made Blaine a better quarterback already and will do so in the long run.”

[Snake]

Gabbert, if he starts all the games, will almost certainly lead the league in interceptions + sacks. He won't have a run game to lean on. It'll be lightskinned Winston, only worse.

Post-snap intellect does not equate to wonderlic or whiteboard tests. It's why Gabbert, Fitzpatrick, and other rocket surgeons suck compared to dummies like Dan Marino.

[Dread]

Going from Tom Brady to Blaine Gabbert. Now THAT'S a Bucs life.

You're just salty that Gabbert took Kaepernick's job before he became a grifter.

Seriously though, going from Brady to anyone not named Rodgers, Wilson, or Watson is going to be a huge letdown.

[13F11B]

Seriously though, going from Brady to anyone not named Rodgers, Wilson, or Watson is going to be a huge letdown.

To be completely honest Brady was the best QB in the game last season. Going from him to anyone else will be a letdown. For all we know, he would have had a letdown even if he stayed.

[Dread]

Gabbert, if he starts all the games, will almost certainly lead the league in interceptions + sacks. He won't have a run game to lean on. It'll be lightskinned Winston, only worse.

Post-snap intellect does not equate to wonderlic or whiteboard tests. It's why Gabbert, Fitzpatrick, and other rocket surgeons suck compared to dummies like Dan Marino.

I agree on the wonderlic being a largely irrelevant, which is why it's been removed from the combine testing.

In regards to Gabbert, we'll see. As Cheb stated he's still not even on the roster and I'd bet the Bucs FO is going exhaust all options on Wilson or whoever else prior to the start of free agency b/c the Gabert option will be there since this is by far his best option to start (assuming no major trade happens)

[MJW]

The most obvious outcome of Gabbert being "the guy" is Trask being "the new guy" by, I dunno, December?

Gabbert is terrible. He is. He was mediocre at Mizzou. His draft status was a result of him being 6'5 230 with a 4.6 forty, notable intelligence, and looking really good in shorts throwing against air. But in an offense built to put up video game numbers, he produced like it was the triple option.

He was trash with the Jaguars. He was trash as he bounced around the league. He was trash with Arizona. We know this.

He's got three things going for him, and they're not insignificant. One, Bruce trusts him and wouldn't need to build him up. He knows the complete offense in and out, and he's taken infinitely more reps in it than any other active QB. There's no real projection for Bruce. And he knows what Gabbert can do and what he can't.

Two, he's cheap. And if you're going to accept that 2022 isn't our year, would you rather do it with $2 mil Blaine Gabbert, $10 mil Andy Dalton, $25 mil Jimmy G, etc?

Three, he'd make it really easy to play Trask when he's ready, if that's actually something OBP wants to do.

[King Bootz]

Going from Tom Brady to Blaine Gabbert. Now THAT'S a Bucs life.

You're just salty that Gabbert took Kaepernick's job before he became a grifter.

Seriously though, going from Brady to anyone not named Rodgers, Wilson, or Watson is going to be a huge letdown.

Going from Brady to Trask, at least you can understand it. Trask was drafted high, sat a year to develop his game. That's usually the pipeline for young QBs. And there's the potential upside Trask provides. If he's not a finished product, it wouldn't be a surprise. But again he's still plenty young enough that he can get better.

You literally get none of that with Blaine Gabbert. Zero. He's not all of a sudden going to improve to become an average QB in year 12 on team #5. He's terrible. Hasn't started a game in 4 years. There's a reason for that.

[real bucs fan]

If the plan is for Trask to compete with someone for his shot, I guess Gabbert can be that competition. The guy had enough talent to be a high first round pick, knows the offence as well as anyone, and is a great teammate.

I’m firmly in the trade for Wilson camp though, assuming we can’t lure Brady out of retirement.

I think a duo of Trask and Gabbert is 100% one of the options OBP is thinking about right now. From the rumors (from solid sources) that we're kicking the tires on Wilson and Watson, I think we're going to be looking for another Brady "lightning in a bottle" quarterbacks. But if neither of those scenarios work out (it ain't just up to us), I think OBP will go with those two and use the considerable cap savings to improve the rest of the roster. And like I've said, I kind of like that scenario better than throwing around multiple first round picks and $40 Mil APY contracts right now.

It’s not the worst scenario at all. Lock up the rest of the roster and if Trask/Gabbert crap the bed, we’ll then at least the roster is in place to lure a QB in a year when the cap should go up considerably again.

Plus, like I think it was you who said, whoever that 2023 QB is won’t have to deal with the following Brady’s footsteps narrative that could be a deterrent at the moment.

[Dread]

Gabbert is terrible. He is. He was mediocre at Mizzou. His draft status was a result of him being 6'5 230 with a 4.6 forty, notable intelligence, and looking really good in shorts throwing against air. But in an offense built to put up video game numbers, he produced like it was the triple option.

What offense are you referring to here?

[King Bootz]

Gabbert is terrible. He is. He was mediocre at Mizzou. His draft status was a result of him being 6'5 230 with a 4.6 forty, notable intelligence, and looking really good in shorts throwing against air. But in an offense built to put up video game numbers, he produced like it was the triple option.

What offense are you referring to here?

That no huddle spread Gabbert was part of at Missouri. He put up pedestrian numbers. Started 26 games in college, 40 TD passes to 18 picks.

I remember the heated debates on the UTBBBB during that draft season. People were pushing Gabbert past Cam Newton as the top prospect in that draft when it wasn't even close to begin with. He was never that guy. And still isn't.

[Doctor]

If we're going to have fun with it give me Minshew.

[kaimaru]

In talking with Christensen, Reynolds sees Gabbert playing the best football of his career as a legitimate possibility. Gabbert, a former No. 10 pick in 2011, has “ideal size at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, good mobility and a rocket arm,” Reynolds wrote.

He also scored a 48/50 on the Wonderlic. Which his PR firm noted on his (ridiculous) Wikipedia page:

Gabbert scored 48 (99th test percentile; 50 possible), one of the highest scores ever achieved in NFL drafts ("genius - MENSA - scientific" level intelligence).

It's weird that I have seen on multiple websites that Gabbert is listed as 42 Wonderlic. I was thinking that Ryan Fitzpatrick had a 48, and how did that make him a better QB. So maybe he is lying on his resume? Maybe he took it again after drafted?

[Deja Entendu]

The most obvious outcome of Gabbert being "the guy" is Trask being "the new guy" by, I dunno, December?

Gabbert is terrible. He is. He was mediocre at Mizzou. His draft status was a result of him being 6'5 230 with a 4.6 forty, notable intelligence, and looking really good in shorts throwing against air. But in an offense built to put up video game numbers, he produced like it was the triple option.

He was trash with the Jaguars. He was trash as he bounced around the league. He was trash with Arizona. We know this.

He's got three things going for him, and they're not insignificant. One, Bruce trusts him and wouldn't need to build him up. He knows the complete offense in and out, and he's taken infinitely more reps in it than any other active QB. There's no real projection for Bruce. And he knows what Gabbert can do and what he can't.

Two, he's cheap. And if you're going to accept that 2022 isn't our year, would you rather do it with $2 mil Blaine Gabbert, $10 mil Andy Dalton, $25 mil Jimmy G, etc?

Three, he'd make it really easy to play Trask when he's ready, if that's actually something OBP wants to do.

Four, it’s the best way to leave the door open for Brady to change his mind and lead us on another run.

[Nano]

What offense are you referring to here?

That no huddle spread Gabbert was part of at Missouri. He put up pedestrian numbers. Started 26 games in college, 40 TD passes to 18 picks.

I remember the heated debates on the UTBBBB during that draft season. People were pushing Gabbert past Cam Newton as the top prospect in that draft when it wasn't even close to begin with. He was never that guy. And still isn't.

I think he only had a 16-9 ratio in his final year. That said...the 2011 draft was weird. It was in the middle of a lockout and a couple of teams were just overdrafting QBs like crazy. Titans also took Washington QB Jake Locker high, when he was pretty bad. Only had a 119.1 career college PR.

[Snake]

I, and others, spilled a lot of ink about Locker during my early draft forum days. Matt Hasselback said Locker couldn’t deal with everything that came with being an NFL QB. Obligations, scrutiny, etc. he would talk about livestock and stuff like that and had no pretense. throw in a buncha injuries and he said his passion for the game evaporated. Just a simple guy I guess.

[Bucsfan83]

Here's that article btw. I was at work so I didn't link it.

https://heavy.com/sports/tampa-bay-bucc ... tom-brady/

Eh, if he's improved he's improved, but in mop up duty / preseaseon with the bucs he never impressed me. I'm kind of eh, on the idea.

[King Bootz]

Here's that article btw. I was at work so I didn't link it.

https://heavy.com/sports/tampa-bay-bucc ... tom-brady/

Eh, if he's improved he's improved, but in mop up duty / preseaseon with the bucs he never impressed me. I'm kind of eh, on the idea.

Oh so they've been preparing for Gabbert to take over. I guess that would explain the series of 1 year contracts.

[Doctor]

The bull is spot on