Bucs backup QB Jalon Daniels.
Perhaps with the way backup quarterback Jalon Daniels played in the first two worthless preseason games, the Bucs really were toying with the idea of Daniels being the immediate backup to Baker Mayfield.
That would have been quite the feat for the undrafted free agent from Kansas. And Joe guesses that played a part in why KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles decided to start Daniels last night.
But it wasn’t the only reason.
> “We definitely want to see more of him, want him to get more experience, want him to play against the twos as opposed to the threes and fours,” Bowles said after the final worthless preseason game of the summer in Jacksonville last night.
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> “Get him in there and see how he operates. Wanted to give him a long, lengthy look.”
Daniels looked like an undrafted free agent last night. Of course, he got little to no help from a porous Bucs backup offensive line.
So is Daniels still in the running as QB2 for the Bucs? Bowles didn’t show his hand.
> “He’s shown a lot,” Bowles said. “He’s shown a lot. We are going to go back and evaluate the film. … \[Daniels will be judged on “the overall operation. Make sure he’s fine with that, then we’ll come back and look at the film.
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> “It wasn’t very good offensively tonight.”
To be even more fair to Daniels, if he did have to play for Baker Mayfield, likely would be behind one of the best offensive lines in the game and throwing to guys who make up one of the strongest receiver groups in the league.
Last night, except for Tez Johnson and Kam Johnson, Daniels was throwing to grad student TAs, court clerks and forklift operators.