Trey Palmer tips Kyle Trask pass to himself for highlight-reel Tampa Bay touchdown
Former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask connected with former LSU and Nebraska wideout Trey Palmer for a highlight-reel touchdown on Saturday night as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the New York Jets. Palmer now has a receiving touchdown in his first two NFL contests this preseason.
Trailing 6-3 with a 1st and 10 coming out of the 2-minute warning in the first half, the Buccaneers dialed up an empty look for Trask in the gun. On the plus side of the 50, he didn’t have to wait long before uncorking a deep ball over the middle.
Palmer, who was fairly well covered, tipped the ball up and then to himself before tumbling backwards in the end zone to give the Buccaneers a lead.
Trask is competing with Baker Mayfield to be the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers this season.
One Buccaneers star hopes for a quick decision in the quarterback competition
At least one key player on offense wants head coach Todd Bowles to pick a quarterback, like yesterday. Mike Evans, the best offensive player on the team, wants some stability at QB by this time in training camp.
“We want to know who the starter’s going to be, you know, soon,” Evans told reporters after Wednesday’s practice with the Jets. “So we can just keep working and (the starter) can take control of the offense.”
It may not matter who is throwing to him. Evans has posted at least 1,000 reception yards in nine straight seasons. That’s an NFL record. He surpassed 10,000 career yards in week 12 of last season. So maybe Bowles should take note.
Trask started against the Jets after Mayfield started the preseason opener
Bowles started Trask this Saturday against the Jets after giving Mayfield the nod in the preseason opener against the Steelers. He initially said the starter in the third game also will be QB1 for the regular season kickoff.
Mayfield played five series against the Steelers. But he didn’t play with an entire unit of 1’s. Mayfield was without the Bucs’ top two receivers, including Evans. And three top linemen also took a comfy spot on the sidelines. Still, he completed 8 of 9 passes for 63 yards.
“He was composed, did a good job of commanding the offense,” Bowles said of Mayfield, who topped the 2017 draft. “He made the plays he needed to make.”
Mayfield also said it felt good to play a game in Bucs gear. He started his career in Cleveland, but played for both the Panthers and Rams in 2022.
“For the most part, I think it went smooth,” Mayfield said of his game. “Getting back out there for the first time is good.”
Bowles also used Trask, who was six of 10 for 99 yards with an interception.