Tom Brady successor battle has 'absolutely' tightened, Bucs OC says

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Following in the footsteps of a legend is never easy but for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask, it’s the reward for the winner of the training camp battle. 

Tampa Bay is entering the season without Tom Brady under center for the first time since 2019, with one quarterback looking for a fresh start and another for his first opportunity. 

Quarterback Baker Mayfield goes through a drill during the Buccaneers' training camp on July 28, 2023, at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa, Florida. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Mayfield, the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, has significantly more experience than Trask, who has attempted just nine passes since being drafted in 2021. 

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Asked on Tuesday whether the quarterback battle has tightened since the start of training camp, Buccaneers' offensive coordinator Dave Canales didn’t skip a beat. 

"Oh, absolutely," Canales told reporters. 

"The first couple of days, I think the experience that Baker brings, just playing in games, being in camps, going through installs, you can see where the offense was gelling really well," Canales said when asked where the competition stands. "The timing of the snaps and all that, it’s really critical for us. So, probably an edge for Baker to start off, just in terms of the smoothness of the offense. 

Buccaneers quarterback Kyle Trask passes during training camp on July 28, 2023, at the AdventHealth Training Center at One Buccaneer Place in Tampa, Florida. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"But it