Bucs rookie QB Jalon Daniels gets a surprise start but falters in preseason loss at Jaguars

In a preseason finale on Friday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squandered a chance to advance Jalon Daniels' hopes of securing the backup quarterback role, resulting in a 19-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Daniels, who led the team to come-from-behind victories against the New York Jets and Kansas City earlier, took to the field against the Jaguars with the aim of demonstrating his readiness to supplant Jake Browning behind the starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.

However, he struggled to generate offense, as Tampa Bay punted on six of their initial seven possessions. Daniels committed errors, botching a snap and being sacked thrice, completing just 8 of his 15 passes for 57 yards and adding 9 yards on the ground. His teammates also faltered, with rookie Dean Patterson IV and third-year player Kameron Johnson both dropping crucial passes, while Garrett Greene mishandled a snap.

The Buccaneers' offense only managed a few points, as Jacksonville's second-string quarterback Nick Mullens outperformed Daniels, completing 5 of 7 passes for 62 yards in the opening quarter. Jacksonville's coach Liam Coen expressed disappointment with his team's performance, stating that they had a promising start before failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Jacksonville's offensive struggles extended to other aspects of the game, as kicker Cam Little missed a 61-yard field goal attempt and rookie Michael Wortham returned a punt for a touchdown. The Jaguars are in need of additional pass rushers, with rookies Wesley Williams and Bryan Thomas Jr. stepping up and recording 2.5 sacks each in their debut.

Coen's decision to have offensive coordinator Grant Udinski call plays in the first two preseason games before reasserting his authority in the finale highlights the importance of finding a suitable backup for Mayfield. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer handed over play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Spencer Whipple and pass game specialist John Van Dam for the third and fourth quarters, respectively, ensuring that his team was well-prepared for the regular season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 13.