Two preseason games into the 2026 NFL season, former Kansas football standout quarterback Jalon Daniels is making a big push to make the roster for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Daniels, who went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, played for the Jayhawks for six seasons and is second all-time in passing yardage and touchdowns. He had a rollercoaster career at KU, suffering from several injuries and some surprising sub-par performances due to poor in-game judgments.
Still, he's looked good so far this preseason. He's completed 65.5 percent of his passes (19-29) for 182 yards. He has one touchdown pass, no interceptions, one rushing touchdown, and 26 yards on the ground.
He often displayed his versatility and athleticism at Kansas. He completed 734 passes on 1,193 attempts (61.5 percent) for a tremendous 9,282 yards. Furthermore, he threw for 67 touchdowns and 31 interceptions, though 12 of those came during a rough 2024 season.
Add in 1,445 rushing yards and 23 scores with his legs, and it is easy to see the Buccaneers signed him after the draft. Kansas will have a difficult time replacing him.
Can former Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels earn a spot as the backup quarterback for Tampa Bay?
Josh Crysler from The Pewter Plank argues that Daniels should be the Buccaneers' backup quarterback to starter Baker Mayfield. Crysler recognizes that Daniels is an unpolished candidate, but that Daniels' overall skill set should outweigh his rawness and inexperience.
Crysler acknowledged that Daniels struggled taking snaps from under center, something that he didn't do much at KU. To be fair, Daniels had trouble hanging onto the ball for the Jayhawks in the shotgun too. It was also pointed out that Daniels wasn't as accurate as he needs to be downfield.
Crysler's point is that Daniels has incredible upside, while John Browning, whom Tampa Bay signed this past offseason, pretty much is what he is at this point. He has some experience, but he did not have much success backing up Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
Daniels brings upside and energy, much like he did for the Jayhawks. Keep in mind that in 2023, Daniels was so highly thought of that he was the preseason pick for the Big 12 Player of the Year. A back injury derailed that season for Daniels, and while he never quite met those expectations again, he also put up pretty good numbers the next two seasons.
Daniels has probably played well enough that he might be grabbed by another organization if the Bucs try to squeeze him onto their practice squad as the team trims its roster. Tampa Bay hasn't carried a third quarterback on its 53-man roster for several years.
Daniels does need to spend some time improving in some areas, and he might never be an every-game starter, but he does have enough talent to be an above-average backup in the NFL. If he gets better at protecting the ball and can increase his downfield accuracy, he can have a long, productive career.
He has plenty of arm strength, and he's a smart, excellent runner as well. Those are tools that can lead to playing time opportunities in the NFL, whether it be in Tampa Bay or somewhere else down the road.
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