The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are just hours away from their preseason showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
After resting their starters last week, Tampa Bay’s starting offense and defense will take the field in front of the Raymond James Stadium crowd.
Once the starters come off the field, attention turns to the backups, where countless players are fighting for limited spots on the roster. The competition is heating up, and time is ticking for players to make their case for a place on the team.
There’s plenty on the line, and here are five Buccaneers to watch against the Chiefs.
5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers players to watch against the Kansas City Chiefs
QB Baker Mayfield
Everybody wants to see Baker Mayfield set the tone for the 2026 season. He’s entering a contract year after a well-documented contract dispute, and he’ll also take his first game reps in Zac Robinson’s offense.
Mayfield and the starters likely won’t see more than a drive or two, so it would be encouraging to see the franchise quarterback lead a scoring drive in his limited action.
OLB Rueben Bain Jr.
Fans are buzzing as Rueben Bain Jr. prepares to make his NFL debut. He’s been one of the team’s most impressive players throughout training camp, but now it’s time to see how he performs when the lights come on.
The hype for Bain can’t get much higher, but if he comes through with some big defensive plays in his first pro game, it will only add fuel to the excitement surrounding the rookie. A strong debut against the Chiefs would give Bucs fans even more reason to believe Bain can make an immediate impact.
QB Jalon Daniels
Jalon Daniels won the hearts of Bucs fans after putting on a show in the preseason opener against the Jets. He went 10-of-15 for 111 yards and a rushing touchdown.
It was once a foregone conclusion that Jake Browning would be the QB2 behind Mayfield, until Todd Bowles declared this week that there’s an open competition.
Daniels has already surged past Connor Bazelak in the QB3 race, and if he has another strong performance against the Chiefs, he’s going to make a real push for the backup quarterback job as an undrafted rookie.
CB Ayden Garnes
If Jalon Daniels was the biggest standout on offense in the preseason opener, Garnes stole the show on the defensive side of the ball.
He had a tackle for loss on Breece Hall on the opening drive, and later made the splash play of the game with a pick-six.
Garnes is already closing in on a roster spot, and another big game against the Chiefs would make him a lock.
OT Justin Skule
Skule is expected to make the roster as a backup offensive tackle, so his performance won’t make or break his status. But he’s quietly one of the most consequential players set to take the field.
With starting left tackle Tristan Wirfs not expected to play, and Ben Chukwuma also unlikely to suit up, Skule will likely be the starting left tackle tasked with protecting Baker Mayfield.
The Bucs dealt with a rash of injuries to the offensive line last year, and their lack of reliable depth became a major weakness for the offense. They brought back Skule for that reason — and tonight is a great opportunity for him to inspire confidence in the reserve offensive line room.
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