Buccaneers Just Signed A Quarterback They Recently Met With

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are adding another quarterback in the room, and it's one they've had some conversation with prior to the NFL Draft.

The Buccaneers signed Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Daniels comes on as a UDFA after the NFL Draft, and he walks into a quarterback room that is already pretty crowded. Despite that, though, he has enough talent to make a mark, and the Buccaneers are already familiar with him after hosting him during the pre-draft process.

Buccaneers sign Jalon Daniels

Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Bucs already expressed interest in Daniels before the draft when they brought him on for a top-40 visit at One Buccaneer Place. After the draft was over, they moved quickly, and he's set to make his Buccaneers debut at rookie minicamp next week.

Daniels is known for his excellent 2022 campaign, where he threw 18 touchdowns and four interceptions and ran for seven rushing touchdowns. Daniels was one of the most highly-touted prospects in college football heading into 2023, but a back injury ended his season and he did not come back the same. Over his last two years at Kansas in 2024-25, Daniels threw 36 TDs and 19 interceptions. Daniels has inconsistent footwork, needs to make better decisions with the football and lacks accuracy on intermediate and deep throws.

That being said, there's still some upside to Daniels. He has good arm strength, he can escape the pocket well and his value as a runner makes him a lethal dual-threat quarterback.

Daniels joins a quarterback room that already has incumbent starter Baker Mayfield and backup Jake Browning in it. He'll be competing for a third quarterback spot with former Bowling Green QB Connor Bazelak, whom the Bucs re-signed this offseason. If he's able to impress, he could end up on Tampa Bay's practice squad much in the same way that Bazelak was last year.

Daniels will be throwing passes to new Buccaneers wideout Ted Hurst out of Georgia State, who the Buccaneers selected in the fifth round. He'll also get to throw to Georgia Tech WR Eric Rivers, who the Bucs also signed as a UDFA after the NFL Draft.

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