Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels looked like a seasoned veteran in last week’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, but on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he regressed back to looking like an undrafted free agent.
Daniels was playing a clean game early, taking what the defense gave him and helping the Bucs jump out to a 16-3 lead. But in the second half, he completely unraveled, missing open throws and throwing two costly interceptions.
After a poor showing from the rookie backup, any talk of a “QB controversy” in Tampa Bay has been put to rest. The Buccaneers are counting down the days until they get Baker Mayfield back from injury.
Jalon Daniels reminded the Buccaneers why they need Baker Mayfield back
Daniels finished 22-of-43 (51%) for 164 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He also took five sacks, at times showing a concerning lack of pocket awareness. It was by far his worst performance during his three games as the starter, after completing over 70% of his passes in each of his first two games.
Much like his NFL debut against the Packers 17-14, Daniels’ turnovers ultimately proved costly, contributing to another Buccaneers loss.
It was the timing of those turnovers that made them even more backbreaking. Both of Daniels’ interceptions came in the fourth quarter while the team was nursing a one-possession lead.
Ultimately, it’s a reminder that no matter how impressive he is at times, he’s still an undrafted rookie.
Daniels has shown plenty of flashes in his three starts, but his accuracy, decision-making, and pocket presence remain areas he must improve in order to be a reliable quarterback in this league.
It was the risk the Buccaneers took when they chose him as the backup quarterback over a proven veteran option. But while he’s clearly not ready for the big stage just yet, the unexpected opportunity to start several games as a rookie is the best possible outcome for his long term development.
Next offseason, Daniels will be able to go back to the drawing board entering his second year. He’ll have starting experience under his belt, plenty of film to evaluate, and firsthand knowledge of what it takes to compete at the professional level.
If Daniels can overcome these growing pains and learn from some of the mistakes that have plagued him, Tampa Bay will have a much more polished backup quarterback in 2027.
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