In one of the bigger surprises of the preseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels appears headed for a spot on the 53-man roster.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine put Daniels on her 53-man roster predictions on August 24, with final roster decisions due by August 30.
The Buccaneers have 1 preseason game remaining on Friday against the Jacksonville Jaguars and open the regular season on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 13.
“Daniels has proven to be a fast study going from a college wristband system to having his offensive coordinator in his helmet, and he gave the offense a jolt every time he entered the game, with his greatest attributes being his ability to throw on the run and thrive out of structure,” Laine wrote on August 24. “Is he quite ready to step in if Mayfield goes down tomorrow though? That’s where Browning comes in.”
Jalon Daniels Called Roster ‘Dark Horse’ in June
Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds singled out Daniels ahead of the start of training camp in July, calling him a “dark horse” candidate to make the 53-man roster — or at least end up as the team’s emergency 3rd quarterback.
“Another dark horse to keep an eye on is undrafted free agent quarterback Jalon Daniels,” Reynolds wrote in June. “I don’t think veteran backup Jake Browning feels threatened for the QB2 job right now, but Tampa Bay absolutely loves the potential of the former Kansas QB, who has a live arm and 4.65 speed as a scrambler. If Daniels impresses in camp and makes a lot of plays in the preseason, he could force his way onto the roster as a developmental QB rather than just being on the practice squad in that role. But first he’ll have to take on Connor Bazelak and prove he’s worthy of sticking around Tampa Bay.”
Bucs Had Sights on Jalon Daniels Before Draft
The Buccaneers were in on Daniels long before he went undrafted, bringing him in for a pre-draft Top 30 visit on April 13.
“After visiting the Patriots on Friday, Kansas QB Jalon Daniels is in Tampa today for a Top 30 visit with the Bucs, per source,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on Monday. “The 6’1, 219 lb Daniels also had private workouts with the Saints, Bills, Chargers, and Chiefs earlier this spring.”
Daniels might prove to be an attractive option as a backup for many reasons — he’s only 23 years old and made 45 starts in college.
“Daniels has an NFL-quality arm but inconsistent ball placement and decision-making. Though undersized, he has dual-threat talent, with explosive flashes and the quick processing to maximize what a defense is giving him,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “The greatest area of concern: He needs to take better care of the football (19 interceptions and 18 fumbles over his final 24 college games). Overall, Daniels has the ball-handling skills and intangibles that give him a chance, but his inconsistencies as a passer will be tough to overcome versus NFL speed.”
Undrafted Bucs QB Predicted to Make 53-Man Roster