Kyle Trask may be staring at one of the biggest workouts of his pro career.
The former Florida quarterback was in with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, looking for another crack at sticking in the NFL after a winding path through the league. Trask, who owns the Gators’ single-season record with 43 passing touchdowns, has already spent part of last season on the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad and had a workout with the New Orleans Saints during their minicamp in May.
At this point, he’s been on a roster or tried out for every NFC South team.
Kyle Trask is out here now, warming up prior to his workout, which will begin once practice is over (and will not be open to media). https://t.co/WA7CXxsF0X
- Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) July 29, 2026
There’s a natural fit here. Panthers coach Dave Canales worked with Trask as his offensive coordinator in Tampa for a couple of years, so the quarterback should already know the system.
And Carolina may actually have a use for him right away: the Panthers are set to face the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame game next Thursday, and it’s unlikely Bryce Young will play. Behind Young are rookie Haynes King and former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, which leaves open the possibility that Carolina wants a third quarterback available.
For the Panthers, the move carries no real downside. For Trask, though, this could be the last chance to make the league notice him again.
That’s a sharp turn for a player who entered the NFL with plenty of draft-day buzz but never managed to lock down a role in Tampa Bay. Trask was a second-round pick of the Buccaneers, yet he never fully won over Todd Bowles and his staff.
Even after signing a one-year contract with Tampa Bay in March 2025 to remain Baker Mayfield’s backup, he still couldn’t hold the job. When Mayfield suffered a minor injury during training camp last year, Trask got a chance with the first team and didn’t impress.
The Buccaneers later added veteran Teddy Bridgewater and released Trask before the season began.
If this workout goes well and Carolina brings him into camp, Trask could even be in position for a few snaps next Thursday. That’s not much on paper, especially for a quarterback drafted as high as he was, but the NFL has a short memory. Right now, Trask just needs Canales and the Panthers to see enough to keep him around a little longer.
His rise at Florida is still one of the most unexpected success stories in program history. Trask came out of Manvel, Texas, as a lightly regarded recruit with no other FBS offers.
He finally got his shot in 2019 under Dan Mullen and started 22 games over the 2019 and 2020 seasons, piling up 7,224 passing yards and 68 touchdowns. That run helped push Florida to the 2020 SEC Championship Game, where Trask threw for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-46 loss.
Gators fans have been waiting for this kind of moment ever since he left Gainesville. Whether Carolina becomes the place where his pro career gets a second life remains to be seen, but the Florida chapter of Trask’s story still stands out.
In Other News...
Tommy Castellanos Eyes College Football Return Amid Eligibility Twist
Tommy Castellanos path back to college football has opened up in a way few could have expected. The former Florida State quarterback, who previously was unable to secure an NCAA waiver and then went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, is now reportedly exploring a return after a Colorado judge issued a preliminary injunction tied to the Class of 2022s eligibility status.
The ruling challenges the NCAAs new 5-for-5 eligibility model, and Castellanos is among the players potentially affected by the change. His agent said multiple schools have shown interest, leaving the next step still unsettled as the broader fight over who gets another season continues to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Just Addressed One Of Its Most Frustrating Problems
Florida State has spent plenty of time trying to solve its kicking issues, and the latest move gives the program another experienced option. The Seminoles signed former Oklahoma State kicker Gabe Panikowski out of the transfer portal, adding a player with one year of eligibility left who has already proven he can be productive at the college level.
Panikowskis resume includes a Fred Mitchell Award at Idaho State and an All-American honor, which helps explain why Florida State moved quickly after losing two kickers to the portal following the 2025 season. The Seminoles are clearly looking for a steadier answer on special teams, and Panikowski joins another new signee, Connor McAneney, in a group that now has a chance to reset a frustrating part of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Mandrell Desir Carries Huge Expectations Into Florida States Next Defensive Test
Mandrell Desir arrived at Florida State with buzz, then backed it up with a freshman season that made people around the program take notice. Even while working in limited snaps, the defensive lineman led the Seminoles with 6.5 sacks and 24 pressures, a production spike that helps explain why the expectations around him have climbed so quickly heading into the next defensive test.
Bradyn Welch-Joiner, a transfer center and Desirs teammate, went even further in praising the young lineman, seeing him as a potential first-round NFL draft pick if the upward trend continues. There is still work to do in the areas scouts care about most, including balance, strength and run defense, but Florida State got an important piece of news when Desir and his twin brother Darryll both entered the transfer portal and then returned for the upcoming season. [Read more 🡒]