Former Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is making his case in Tampa Bay, and two preseason games in, the former Jayhawks star has put himself squarely in the conversation for a roster spot with the Buccaneers.
Daniels went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he has opened eyes this preseason by completing 65.5 percent of his passes, going 19-for-29 for 182 yards. He has thrown one touchdown and no interceptions, added a rushing touchdown, and picked up 26 yards on the ground.
That start has come after a college career at Kansas that stretched six seasons and ended with Daniels second all-time in passing yardage and touchdowns. His run with the Jayhawks had plenty of highs, but it also came with injuries and stretches of uneven play tied to poor in-game decisions.
Even with that uneven arc, the production was real. Daniels finished his Kansas career with 734 completions on 1,193 attempts for 9,282 yards, along with 67 passing touchdowns and 31 interceptions.
Twelve of those interceptions came during a difficult 2024 season. On the ground, he added 1,445 rushing yards and 23 rushing scores.
That mix of arm talent and mobility is part of why Tampa Bay brought him in after the draft, and why Kansas is facing the challenge of replacing him.
The question now is whether Daniels can climb high enough on the Buccaneers’ depth chart to become Baker Mayfield’s backup. Josh Crysler of The Pewter Plank thinks he should.
Crysler’s argument is straightforward: Daniels may still be raw, but the upside is too big to ignore. He also pointed out that Daniels had trouble taking snaps from under center, which was not something he did often at Kansas. Daniels also struggled with ball security in the shotgun at times, and his downfield accuracy still needs work.
Even with those issues, the case for Daniels is that he offers far more ceiling than John Browning, whom Tampa Bay signed this offseason. Browning has more experience, but Crysler noted that he did not have much success backing up Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
Daniels has always brought energy and playmaking ability, and that was part of his appeal at Kansas as well. In 2023, he was picked as the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, though a back injury knocked that season off course. He never fully reached those expectations again, but he still produced solid numbers over the next two years.
There is also a practical wrinkle in Tampa Bay’s roster situation. Daniels may have done enough that another team could claim him if the Buccaneers try to stash him on the practice squad while trimming down to the 53-man roster. The Bucs also have not carried a third quarterback on their 53-man roster for several years.
Daniels still has work to do, and he may never become a starter who holds down a job every week. But the traits are there for him to develop into an above-average NFL backup. If he keeps improving his ball security and becomes more accurate downfield, he could carve out a long career.
The arm strength is there. The running ability is there. And for a quarterback trying to stick in the league, that gives Daniels a real chance to find playing time in Tampa Bay or somewhere else.
In Other News...
Lance Leipold's Latest Camp Update Raises A Real KU Lineup Question
Fall camp has brought the usual mix of progress and interruption for Kansas, and Lance Leipolds latest update made clear that the Jayhawks are still sorting through the effects of injuries and illnesses as they try to build continuity. The coach pointed to offensive linemen Kasen Carpenter and Tavake Tuikolovatu as examples of players who have missed time, leaving certain groups short on the kind of repeated reps that matter most this time of year. At the same time, Leipold said several defensive players have taken steps forward, and a few unexpected names have started to push their way into the conversation.
For Kansas, the bigger issue is less about who has looked good in flashes and more about who can hold up once the season opener arrives. Leipold stressed the importance of consistency and physicality, two things that are harder to find when practice rotations keep changing. The camp has already produced some surprise risers, but it has also left at least one real lineup question hanging as the Jayhawks work toward a clearer picture of what they can trust early on. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Camp Winners Are Starting To Clarify Leipolds 2026 Depth Chart
With more than 50 newcomers on the roster, Kansas has spent training camp sorting through a lineup that looks far different from the one Lance Leipold will eventually lean on in 2026. That kind of turnover always creates opportunity, and early practices have started to show which players are beginning to separate themselves from the pack as the Jayhawks try to build some order before the depth chart hardens.
A true freshman defensive back has already made an early impression, while the tight end room appears to be taking shape behind the starter with one player pushing into a more meaningful role. Kansas also looks set to lean into multi-tight end formations, which should give those developments extra weight once the games start counting and make the emerging pieces even more important to Leipolds plans. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas May Have Found A New Difference Maker In The Secondary
Kansas is taking another look at its secondary with Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman in the mix, a transfer safety whose 2023 season at Iowa State was cut short early by injury. The move gives D.K. McDonald another versatile piece to evaluate as the Jayhawks continue sorting out their defensive backfield, and it is not hard to see why the staff is interested. McDonald has already pointed to Cummings-Colemans athleticism as a trait that could translate quickly.
The real question now is where he fits. Cummings-Coleman is expected to compete for the nickelback job, a spot that can ask a defender to cover receivers, handle run support and react fast in space. For Kansas, that makes him more than just another body in camp. If he settles in the way the staff hopes, he could become one of the more intriguing new options in a secondary looking for impact. [Read more 🡒]