The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have found one of the more intriguing developmental players of rookie minicamp in undrafted free agent quarterback Jalon Daniels.
While much of the attention during rookie minicamp centered around first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. and the Buccaneers’ newest draft class, Daniels reportedly generated plenty of buzz of his own behind the scenes with his athleticism, confidence, and command of the offense.
The former Kansas quarterback entered the NFL as one of the more fascinating undrafted signings in the league. Injuries throughout his college career prevented Daniels from fully capitalizing on his talent, but when healthy, he consistently flashed high-level playmaking ability both inside and outside the pocket. That talent appears to have quickly caught the attention of Tampa Bay’s coaching staff.
Daniels reportedly earned praise during rookie minicamp for his poise, quick processing, and ability to create on plays. His mobility and improvisational ability immediately stand out compared to the more traditional quarterback archetypes Tampa Bay has carried in recent years. Now the question becomes whether Daniels could eventually push for more than just a practice squad spot.
Behind Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers still have uncertainty at the quarterback position long term. Tampa signed ex-Bengal Jake Browning during free agency, who has starting experience and is 7-10 in his career as a starter. But Daniel’s athleticism and true dual-threat ability could open the door if he continues stacking strong practices throughout training camp and preseason.
While it would be unrealistic to expect an undrafted rookie to immediately leap into the backup role, Daniels offers something Tampa Bay’s quarterback room currently lacks: true playmaking mobility. His athletic profile gives the Buccaneers a different type of developmental option behind Mayfield, especially in an offense that increasingly values movement and off-platform throws. At the very least, Daniels appears to be a player worth monitoring heading into camp.
But if his strong early impressions continue, the Buccaneers may suddenly find themselves with a legitimate QB2 competition on their hands.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs UDFA QB Jalon Daniels riding high after rookie minicamp
Reporting by Ashlie Abrahams, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
