The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback picture looks just about settled for Sunday, and it points to Jalon Daniels getting another start against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Baker Mayfield, still working back from a dislocated thumb, did not practice on Thursday after the team had already tested his grip and watched him throw on Wednesday afternoon. Todd Bowles had said after last Thursday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys that Daniels was preparing to start again, but Mayfield’s push to return kept the situation from being fully locked in until this week’s practice update.
Thursday changed that. Mayfield stayed off the field, while Daniels handled most of the first-team reps. That makes Daniels the clear answer for now and sets him up for his third NFL start.
The undrafted rookie has had his ups and downs, but he has given Tampa Bay enough to believe it can survive while Mayfield heals. Through his first two starts, Daniels has thrown for 337 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, while adding 87 rushing yards. The numbers are uneven, but the Buccaneers have seen enough to trust him to run the offense competently.
Mayfield’s return now appears more likely to come in Week 7, when the Buccaneers face the Carolina Panthers in their first divisional game. That would put him beyond the three-week minimum Bowles previously mentioned after the injury against the Minnesota Vikings.
So for Week 6, the job remains Daniels’. The Buccaneers host the Steelers at 1 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Raymond James Stadium, with a 1-4 team still trying to start stacking wins and get its season pointed in the right direction.
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