Who is Jalon Daniels? Bucs turning their fate over to undrafted rookie QB with Baker Mayfield hurt
Daniels played for six years at Kansas, flashing some star ability at times. Now he's set to make his first NFL start vs. Green Bay.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, currently with a record of 0-3, have opted to give undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels a chance as their starting QB following an injury to veteran Baker Mayfield. Daniels' first NFL appearance came in their recent 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, where he scrambled for 9 yards and failed to complete any of his three pass attempts, including a crucial Hail Mary interception that sealed the victory for the Vikings.
The team's fans are now questioning if giving Mayfield a $165 million extension was the correct decision and if this season might turn out to be a lost one. However, Daniels has some prior experience in handling adversity, having faced a similar situation in 2020 when he was thrust into starting at Kansas State as a freshman during a winless season.
Although Daniels struggled during his college career, he eventually became a respectable player, contributing significantly to Kansas State's success in the following years. This background might provide some consolation for Bucs fans who are not prepared to wait two years for Daniels' development. Coordinated Zac Robinson plans to utilize Daniels' athleticism with play-action, bootlegs, and rollouts to capitalize on the Bucs' pass protection deficiencies.
The next two games against Green Bay and Dallas should provide Daniels with the opportunity to prove his value.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
