The Buccaneers are turning the offense over to a rookie at the worst possible time - and maybe the only time they had left.
With Baker Mayfield sidelined for at least three weeks after dislocating his right thumb against Minnesota, Tampa Bay is set to hand Jalon Daniels his first NFL start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs are 0-3, so there’s no slow burn here. Daniels is walking straight into a must-answer Week 4 spot with the season already leaning hard in one direction.
This is not about asking him to be Mayfield. Tampa Bay doesn’t need a one-man rescue act. Daniels’ job is much simpler and a lot harder: take care of the ball, run the offense cleanly, lean on his legs when the play breaks down and keep the Bucs in position to make a fourth-quarter push.
The rookie did enough in preseason to earn this chance. As an undrafted addition, Daniels completed 19 of 29 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown, and he added 37 rushing yards and another score.
In all, he accounted for 30 of Tampa Bay’s 33 preseason points while steering the offense. That doesn’t promise anything against Green Bay, but it explains why the team was comfortable keeping him behind Mayfield.
There was more to like than just the numbers. Daniels showed touch on short and intermediate throws, enough arm to threaten deeper, and the kind of athleticism that can turn a busted play into something useful. Against a Packers defense that has not had much regular-season film on him, those traits could matter right away.
He already got a taste of the real thing last week after Mayfield exited the loss to Minnesota. Daniels made three pass attempts, completed none of them and threw an interception on the final drive.
He also ran for nine yards in his NFL debut. It was a rough snapshot, but not a full evaluation.
Sunday gives him something far more valuable: a full week of first-team reps and a game plan tailored to what he does best.
That plan has to stay friendly early. Quick passes, play-action, movement in the pocket and designed quarterback runs should help Daniels get comfortable without asking him to do too much. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson also has to keep the reads clean and avoid putting the rookie in too many long-yardage spots.
The ground game matters, too. Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell need to help Tampa Bay stay on schedule, especially early, so the Packers have to respect the run and the play-action game. If the Bucs can’t establish that balance, Daniels will be staring at obvious passing downs far too often.
Green Bay comes in at 1-2 after a 35-14 loss to Atlanta, and the Packers will surely be eager to make life difficult for a rookie quarterback. If Tampa Bay falls behind, that pressure only grows.
Still, Daniels gives the Buccaneers something they didn’t have with Mayfield unavailable: a chance to stress a defense with his movement. He can escape trouble, extend drives and create extra yards when the structure breaks down. If Green Bay loses contain, Daniels can turn those broken plays into momentum and maybe even a spark for the home crowd.
The expectations are pretty clear. Tampa Bay does not need Daniels to carry the whole thing.
It needs him to avoid the big mistake, keep the offense moving and use his mobility when the opening is there. If the Bucs can back him with a credible run game, better protection and a cleaner overall effort, he has a real shot to give them a much-needed win.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Suddenly Face A Bigger Baker Mayfield Problem Than Expected
Baker Mayfields thumb injury has turned into a much bigger issue for the Buccaneers than a short-term scare. The veteran quarterback suffered a dislocated thumb and is expected to miss multiple games, with his return hinging on how quickly he regains grip strength. For Tampa Bay, the timing is especially tricky because Mayfield had been in the middle of another season as the teams starter after appearing in three games so far.
The immediate answer is rookie Jalon Daniels, who has been named the backup and will start while Mayfield is out. It puts an abrupt spotlight on Tampa Bays quarterback depth and raises the stakes around how the offense functions without the player the Buccaneers signed to a multi-year deal. The bigger question now is not just who starts next, but how long the team has to live without Mayfield and what kind of shape he is in when he finally returns. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fan Goes Viral For A Gameday Moment Bucs Fans Pounced On
A gameday photo from the Packers-Buccaneers matchup quickly took on a life of its own, with a Green Bay fan in a cheese-themed outfit drawing plenty of attention on social media. Buccaneers fans, already tuned into a rough start for their own team, jumped on the image and helped turn a random moment from the stands into one of the evenings louder online talking points.
It fit the mood around Tampa Bay, where the Bucs came in at 0-3 and were turning to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback because of Baker Mayfields injury. Green Bay arrived at 1-2, but the game was about more than the records for Tampa Bay supporters, who had little patience to spare and plenty of time to notice, and react to, anything that stood out. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Just Became The Center Of Tampa Bay's Biggest Debate
The Buccaneers slow start has pushed Todd Bowles into the middle of a conversation nobody in Tampa Bay wanted to have this early. At 0-4, with a 3-12 record stretching back to last season, the losses are piling up fast enough to turn every miscue into a referendum on direction, execution and leadership. Bowles stepped to the podium after the latest setback and owned the mess, taking responsibility while insisting he still believes he can guide the team out of it.
Bowles has handled the public side of the slump the way a veteran coach usually does, but the frustration around the team is only growing because so many of the defeats have stayed within reach. Close games tend to sharpen the focus on the head coach, and if the Buccaneers keep coming up short in those spots, the accountability debate will only get louder. For now, Bowles is asking for patience, even as the results make that a harder sell by the week. [Read more 🡒]