Bucs backup QB Jalon Daniels.
Can raw, untapped ability overcome inexperience?
That’s what the Bucs must decide a week from today when Cutdown Day arrives.
The Bucs have to trim their roster to 53 players one week from today.
Backup quarterback Jalon Daniels has done a good job of closing out the first two preseason games. As Chucky pointed out a few times last night in the WFLA-TV Channel 8 broadcast, Daniels has things to work. Some are mental (learning the playbook) and some are physical (being better behind center and throwing short passes to the sidelines).
But when Daniels is on the field, he brings juice.
Jake Browning, a seasoned backup with starting experience, has only played in one Bucs preseason game. And while he wasn’t given any chance by the porous backups on the front line, Browning was very much _meh_.
But it is hard if not impossible to mount any sort of offense when you have defenders in your grill before you spot an open man.
Daniels, for as fun as he is, was going up against financial analysts and barbers in both worthless preseason games.
KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles loves the energy Daniels brings but Bowles had to temper his enthusiasm after the game.
> “He did a good job closing out the game \[for the\] second week in a row,” Bowles said. “He made some plays, some clutch plays.
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> “Obviously, there’s a lot of things he’s got to learn, but at the same time, he goes out there and he makes things happen, and he gives us a chance to win.”
Is that “chance to win” enough to keep Daniels as the No. 2 quarterback? An undrafted free agent?
Look, Bowles likely knows he needs wins or he won’t be the Bucs coach come January. So what it boils down to for Joe is: does Bowles trust his career to an undrafted free agent over a guy who has a handful of starts in the league?
The Bucs promoted current No. 4 quarterback Conor Bazelak to the active roster late last season, giving the team three active QBs. So it’s very possible the Bucs start this season with Browning and Daniels on the team alongside Baker Mayfield.
Daniels likely would be claimed by another NFL team if the Bucs waive him in hopes he can find his way back to their practice squad..