Buccaneers Officially Have Winner in 2026 Quarterback Competition

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have named one of their quarterbacks the backup to Baker Mayfield — and they've cut the other one.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Connor Bazelak (16) throws the ball as quarterback Jalon Daniels (10) looks on | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

TAMPA, FL — There have been talks of the move since the middle of training camp, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially made a big change at quarterback on Sunday during cut day.

The NFL's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the Bucs are going with Kansas undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels as the team's backup quarterback behind Baker Mayfield. Daniels was originally set to compete for the QB3 job with the now-waived Connor Bazelak, but his play impressed Tampa Bay far more than that.

Jalon Daniels Named Buccaneers' Backup Quarterback

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels (10) warms up before a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Daniels beats out Jake Browning for the QB2 spot. The Buccaneers intended to have Browning serve as the team's QB2 and gave him a one-year, $1,332,500 deal with $400,000 guaranteed at the beginning of free agency, but Daniels impressed more during his preseason showings and won the job.

Because of this, the Bucs released Browning on Sunday, and Daniels is officially the backup in Tampa Bay. Browning is a veteran and does not have to clear waivers — he could choose to head to Tampa Bay's practice squad, but he won't be the backup quarterback in Tampa Bay like he envisioned.

Sources: The #Bucs are releasing veteran QB Jake Browning. https://t.co/kj0ukve1eK pic.twitter.com/awHNjn8tl3

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 30, 2026

Daniels completed 61.4% of his passes in the preseason for 239 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 37 yards and had a touchdown on the ground. The Bucs won their first two preseason games largely due to the scoring drives Daniels led in both, but they lost their most recent preseason matchup 19-0 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tampa Bay's backup quarterback last year was Teddy Bridgewater, and Bridgewater appeared in just one half against the Los Angeles Rams when Mayfield went down with a shoulder injury. Bridgewater did not play well, and as a result, the Bucs may have been more hesitant to let Mayfield rest in the coming games.

Now, the Bucs will hope that Daniels can be a reliable option to come in if needed. He remains a raw prospect who fumbled a snap against the Jaguars and still needs to work on relaying his play calls from the headset to the huddle, but he's shown impressive physical talent at the position and a lot of poise in the pocket.

The Buccaneers will hold two bonus practices this week before preparing for the regular season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 the following week.

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