The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t have much uncertainty at the top of the offense, but the depth chart behind the starters is still very much in motion. One of the quieter battles in camp has landed at quarterback, where Connor Bazelak and Jalon Daniels are fighting for the QB3 job.
Bazelak enters as the incumbent after winning the spot last season over an injured Michael Pratt. Daniels, meanwhile, arrived as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas and is already making a strong impression.
That’s especially true in the eyes of offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who didn’t hold back when talking about Daniels. Robinson, a former NFL quarterback, said the rookie’s arm stands out in a big way.
“His arm is explosive,” Robinson said of Daniels. “You guys have seen it out there.
There’s not a throw he can’t make or a throw he doesn’t believe he can’t make, which obviously [it's about] finding the right balance with a young cat. He’s done a great job.
He just continues to learn to play the position... His arm, like I mentioned, it’s one of the better ones I’ve been around.”
Daniels’ path to Tampa Bay came with plenty of intrigue and just as much baggage. He spent six seasons at Kansas, and after a standout 2022 season in which he posted 25 total touchdowns and only five interceptions, expectations were high. But injuries and poor play slowed him down over the next three years.
Even so, Daniels still brings the kind of mobility and physical tools that can catch a coach’s eye. He’s also earned praise inside the building for his attitude, and that combination has helped him carve out a real shot at the QB3 role.
For now, he appears to have the momentum over Bazelak as preseason gets going. Daniels’ mobility gives him an edge as a scout team option, and his ceiling looks higher. He still has work to do before anything beyond a backup role comes into focus, but the Buccaneers clearly think enough of him to keep pushing this competition.
The Bucs are off from training camp Wednesday and will return Thursday for another pair of practices.
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Damarion Williams Is Forcing His Way Into Tampa Bays Secondary Battle
Damarion Williams has spent training camp turning a quiet roster bubble into a real conversation in the Buccaneers secondary. The cornerback came into the offseason with an uphill climb after bouncing from the Ravens to the Seahawks before landing on Tampa Bays practice squad last year and later signing a futures contract, but he has made enough of an impression to keep his name in the mix as camp moves along.
For a player once easy to slot in as a practice-squad type, the shift has been noticeable because Williams is showing more than just depth value. Todd Bowles has come away with a positive view of his work, and in a secondary room where every rep matters, that kind of camp momentum can change how a player is viewed from one week to the next. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs WR Battle Just Got More Complicated At The Worst Time
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Tez Johnson was among the latest to leave early, with Todd Bowles confirming the issue as a groin tweak, while David Sills V also exited and appeared to be favoring his knee. With Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka already having missed or been limited at times, the Bucs are trying to keep a crowded battle on track while enough of the group is on the field to make the evaluation meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Camp Boiled Over As Todd Bowles Tried To Regain Control
Training camp has already taken on a sharper edge in Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers worked through their sixth day with their first and only night practice, another stretch that featured indoor sessions and padded drills. Even before the action got heated, the setup was less than ideal: Tristan Wirfs and Vita Vea were out, and Veas absence came with a contract holdout hanging over the room, a reminder that camp is never just about installing plays.
What followed was a practice that boiled over enough to force a coach-led meeting aimed at cooling things down and getting everyone back on the same page. With injuries and rest opening the door, receivers lower on the depth chart got more chances to work, but the bigger story was the frustration on the field and the challenge Todd Bowles faced in trying to restore order before the temperature rises any further. [Read more 🡒]