Anthony Richardson Met With Bucs, Raves About Kyle Trask

Would the Bucs draft another quarterback like Richardson early this year to compete with Kyle Trask? A former second-round pick in 2021, Trask has yet to really have the chance to prove himself and work with Tampa Bay’s starters because he’s been buried on the depth chart behind Tom Brady and experienced veteran backup Blaine Gabbert the last two years.

But Brady has retired at the age of 45, and the Bucs may not bring back Gabbert in free agency. Whether or not Tampa Bay drafts him to compete with Trask, Richardson had some high praise about his former Florida teammate.

“Kyle is a legend,” Richardson said. “He’s a Florida legend. Just watching him and sitting behind him, he taught me how important it is to wait your turn and how important it is to grind. That guy, he knew everything about the offense. He knew the blocking schemes, the receiver routes, and his sets.

“At one point in time, he was calling plays for himself. The Bucs can definitely expect that from him again because he’s a guy that is great mentally and he has a beautiful arm. I try to implement that in myself. He’s a great guy and they’re going to get that.”

Richardson, who was a one-year starter for the Gators, is a polarizing figure in the scouting community. The 6-foot-4, 236-pounder is a tremendous athlete who rushed for 1,116 yards as a backup and a starter at Florida, averaging 6.9 yards per carry and scoring 12 touchdowns.

But he only completed 53.8% of his throws for 2,549 yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a passer. Still, his potential and his tantalizing physical tools will make him a first-rounder.

Gators WR Justin Shorter Talks Glowingly About Anthony Richardson, Kyle Trask

Florida wide receiver Justin Shorter, who is also at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, played with both Kyle Trask and Anthony Richardson in college. He had glowing remarks about Trask.

“Great guy, smart guy, poised guy,” Shorter said. “In that quarterback spot, he never let pressure get to him, which was awesome. It was just awesome to be able to play with him and see where he is now. Definitely him being behind Tom Brady helped him out a lot. I feel like he’s going to really come on the scene as a starter.”

Shorter, a 6-foot-5, 228-pound receiver who caught 29 passes for 577 yards (19.9 avg.) and a pair of touchdowns last year, also gushed about Richardson.

“He’s a freak of nature,” Shorter said. “The whole team is going to elevate just because of the guy he is. I can’t wait to see him ­– his arm, he’s a super-strong, accurate kid. He’s young too, which is amazing. He has a lot more room to get better.”

Shorter told Pewter Report he had an informal interview with the Bucs. He would love to reunite with Trask in Tampa Bay.

“In the summertime, I think we threw the ball together every single day,” Shorter said. “I think our connection is really good, and I definitely like him as a person. It would be an easy connection for us again once I get there.”

Will the Bucs draft another Gator like Richardson to compete with Trask, or will they select Shorter for Trask to throw to? We’ll find out in late April.