The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New York Jets 24-16 in the preseason opener, and one of the biggest takeaways came at quarterback.
With Baker Mayfield sitting out and backup Jake Browning dealing with an injury, Jalon Daniels and Connor Bazelak took center stage in the battle for the QB3 spot.
Bazelak played the entire first half before Daniels took over after halftime. It was only the undrafted rookie’s first NFL game, but he wasted no time making an impression.
Daniels played well enough in his pro debut to soar past Bazelak in their competition for the third spot on Tampa Bay’s depth chart.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie QB Jalon Daniels shines in NFL debut
Daniels showcased his strong arm, along with his speed and mobility which make him a threat outside the pocket. It was his ability to make plays happen off schedule that really separated him from Bazelak.
Daniels finished 10-of-15 for 111 yards, along with a rushing touchdown in his NFL debut for the Buccaneers.
Undrafted rookie QB Jalon Daniels WENT OFF in his preseason debut, including a game-winning rushing TD.
— Preme Football (@premefootball) August 15, 2026
The former Kansas Jayhawk showcased his accuracy and athleticism in the Bucs first win:
🔶 10/15 completions
🔶 111 passing yards
🔶 1 rushing TD
🔶 88.5 passer rating… pic.twitter.com/CT6Y0J04Cp
He made several highlight throws, including an absolute bullet into a tight window to tight end Devin Culp for a 14-yard gain. Daniels also delivered a beautiful 35-yard completion to convert on a third-and-13 to help spark a touchdown drive.
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said earlier this offseason that Daniels has one of the better arms he’s ever been around, and the rookie certainly backed that up tonight.
Head coach Todd Bowles was thoroughly impressed with Daniels’ performance, which bodes well for the rookie’s status on the depth chart.
“I thought he was very poised. He went in relaxed, and we knew he could make off-schedule plays out of the pocket but he played very confident in the pocket. He made the right reads, he zipped some throws in there, I thought he played very well,” Bowles said.
That’s about as strong of an endorsement Daniels could have hoped for after his first NFL appearance.
He now has the remainder of training camp and two more preseason games to build on tonight’s momentum and continue to showcase why he needs to be a part of Tampa Bay’s future at the quarterback position. He clearly boasts more long-term upside than any other backup on the roster and, in due time, could easily become Tampa Bay’s QB2 of the future.
Now, the biggest question is whether Bazelak can show enough over the next two preseason games to close the gap Daniels just created. After only one preseason game, the Buccaneers’ QB3 competition suddenly looks a lot less competitive.
Add us as a preferred source on Google