The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are officially moving on from Jake Browning, with undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels grabbing the backup quarterback spot behind Baker Mayfield! Yeah, you read that right. As teams scramble to finalize their initial 53-man rosters by Sunday, the Bucs made a move that’s got everyone buzzing.
Jake Browning’s NFL Journey Takes Another Wild Turn
Can you believe Jake Browning, after five seasons with the Bengals and even getting three starts last year when Joe Burrow went down, is already out in Tampa? He signed with the Bucs this offseason, probably looking for a fresh start, right? But the NFL is a brutal business. Browning saw some real NFL action, even if the Bengals eventually brought in Joe Flacco to hold things down after Burrow’s injury. That kind of starting experience isn’t nothing! He got thrown into the fire, played meaningful snaps, and showed he could handle the pressure. You’d think that would make him a lock for a backup spot, especially after signing just this offseason.
But apparently, it wasn’t enough. Ian Rapoport from NFL Media dropped the news about Browning’s release, solidifying the Bucs’ plans. Remember Connor Bazelak? His departure was already reported on Saturday, so the writing was on the wall for some serious shake-ups in that Bucs QB room. Now, with Browning also gone, the message is clear: Tampa is rolling the dice on new talent, and they’re not looking back. Don’t count Browning out completely, though. Three NFL starts? That’s gold for a lot of teams scrambling for depth, especially with the regular season kicking off. Someone out there is going to look at that experience and think he’s worth a shot. Quarterback depth is king in this league, and his resume is better than many available.
Jalon Daniels: The Undrafted Kid Who Just Refused to Lose
This is the story we all love: the undrafted rookie who comes in and absolutely seizes the moment! Jalon Daniels, who spent six seasons at Kansas, came into camp with no guarantees. Nobody hands you a job in the NFL, especially not at quarterback. But the Bucs gave him a shot, and he ran with it. He absolutely took full advantage, proving he belonged. Friday night, he closed out the preseason by going 8-of-15 for 57 yards. Not flashy, maybe, but clearly enough to impress the coaches and clinch that backup role. Sometimes it’s not about the highlight reel plays, it’s about consistency, command, and showing you can handle the pressure when it matters.
Now, Daniels is the *only* quarterback sitting behind Baker Mayfield. That’s a huge vote of confidence for a rookie. It tells you everything you need to know about what they think of him. He beat out guys with more experience and higher expectations. This kid put in the work, he proved himself, and now he’s got a spot on an NFL roster. That’s the kind of gritty, underdog story that makes this game so great.
With the Bucs heading into the early regular season, all eyes will be on Daniels to see how he continues to develop. If Mayfield falters or gets dinged up, this undrafted rookie could be taking snaps way sooner than anyone expected.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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