Thirty-two NFL teams overlooked Jalon Daniels during the 2026 NFL Draft, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Four months later, the former Kansas quarterback is the primary backup on the NFC South favorites.
With a strong training camp and preseason, Daniels leapfrogged Jake Browning and Connor Bazelak for the No. 2 QB gig behind Baker Mayfield.
“I’m proud of Jalen,” Mayfield said from his charitable event at Topgolf on Sunday via The Tampa Bay Times. “I think he’s shown tremendous steps from the first time I met him in the offseason until now. He played his tail off. Worked hard. Worked on the things the coaches wanted to get done out of him and for him to progress with."
Daniels entered training camp as QB4. Most undrafted signal-callers have the practice squad in their future, if they make the league at all after college. Daniels blasted past those long odds, showing enough pizzazz during the preseason to convince the Bucs staff to make him their initial backup.
Each time Daniels entered a preseason game, he jumpstarted the offense. In three games, he went 27-of-44 passing for 239 yards with a TD and no interceptions. Even after struggling in the final preseason game against Jacksonville, the club didn’t waver on making the youngster their backup. Tampa released Browning and Bazelak during Sunday's cuts.
The decision not only speaks volumes about what Daniels showed, but also underscores that Browning proved nothing special to ensure his roster spot. Browning’s struggles date back to his horrific run as Joe Burrow’s replacement in Cincinnati last year. Mayfield hasn’t missed a start since joining the Bucs, but has played through several injuries, including last season.
Roughly two weeks out from the regular season, it’s possible Tampa could still add a veteran to the mix. The greater probability is that they add a practice-squad QB3 as a buffer in case things go sideways.