How Minicamp Changed Bucs' QB Depth Chart Ahead of Training Camp
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't have any doubts about who their starting quarterback will be in 2026, but coming out of this week's mandatory minicamp, there's some intriguing developing across the rest of the depth chart.
After moving on from Kyle Trask as their primary backup this offseason, the Bucs signed an experienced veteran to fill that role in Jake Browning, who took care of those duties behind Joe Burrow for the Cincinnati Bengals over the past five seasons.
Returning from last year's practice squad is Connor Bazelak, but while he'll have familiarity with his teammates, he won't have the benefit of another year in the same scheme. The Bucs fired offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard after just one season, handing the offense to a more experienced play-caller in Zac Robinson, who most recently held the same position for the division-rival Atlanta Falcons.
None of that stopped the Bucs from aggressively pursuing a rookie quarterback after thie 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up, signing Kansas' Jalon Daniels as an undrafted free agent.
It hasn't taken long for Daniels to impress his new coaches.
"He didn't put the ball on the ground; he didn't turn it over," head coach Todd Bowles said during this week's mandatory minicamp (via Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times). "He's probably one of the more energetic rookies that I've seen come in in quite some time. The game's not too big for him. He's full of energy in the building. Very happy to be here. Very smart. Very intelligent. I'm really excited to see what he can do."
That all tracks with what we saw from Daniels in college, where his experience, intelligence, leadership, and dynamic playmaking ability made him one of the most entertaining quarterbacks in the country to watch every weekend. It also made him extremely productive, accounting for more than 10,000 yards of total offense over his career with the Jayhawks.
"Jalon Daniels was a guy we were excited about," Robinson said (per Stroud). "We thought he was going to get drafted. … He's got really good arm talent. He's got some athleticism. He sees the game well. He processes. He's got to clean up some things fundamentally from college, which most of these guys do. But Jalon I thought did a great job just commanding the rookie camp."
Like most NFL teams, the Bucs are likely to only keep three quarterbacks on their active roster at most during the regular season, with a fourth holding down a spot on the practice squad. Daniels' well-rounded skill set and upside could give him the inside track in the battle over Bazelak, who joined the team as an undrafted free agent last year.
But depending on how well he handles that battle in training camp, Daniels is talented enough to potentially push Browning for the backup job, with his talent and dual-threat ability giving him an advantage over what Browning brings to the table beyond his advantage in the NFL experience department.
The only issue at the top of Tampa Bay's quarterback depth chart is Baker Mayfield's contract situation, but no matter what happens there, he'll be the one taking the snaps when the regular season rolls around. Beyond that, don't be surprised if Daniels ends up higher on the depth chart than most undrafted free agent rookies, especially at the game's most important position.
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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 7:32 PM.