The Buccaneers escaped their second preseason game with a 16-15 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, but not everyone left Raymond James Stadium feeling better about their roster standing. Saturday was another night where the defense created reasons for optimism, particularly among Tampa Bay's young pass rushers. Meanwhile, the quarterback competition behind Baker Mayfield may be getting clearer for all the wrong reasons for one veteran. Stud: Jalon Daniels At some point, the “nice preseason story” label is no longer enough for Daniels.
The undrafted rookie once again entered the game and made things happen, leading three second-half scoring drives as Tampa Bay erased a 9-0 halftime deficit. He threw a touchdown pass to Ko Kieft and continued to show the mobility and composure that have made him one of the Bucs' biggest surprises this summer. Stud: David Walker Walker is quickly becoming one of the more encouraging players to watch. After losing his rookie season to an ACL injury, the young edge rusher has flashed throughout training camp and carried that momentum into the preseason.
He continued to create pressure against the Chiefs and looked like a player who has regained his confidence and explosiveness, with three pressures total, including two back-to-back off straight speed and then a devastating spin move. Stud: Anthony Nelson Nelson made sure the Chiefs felt his presence. The veteran finished with 1.5 sacks and delivered one of the biggest defensive plays of the game with a strip-sack. While much of the attention surrounding Tampa Bay's edge room has centered on younger players, Nelson reminded everyone why he remains a valuable part of the group.
Stud: Keionte Scott Scott's versatility continues to stand out. The rookie has been working in multiple spots throughout the summer, and his performance against Kansas City offered another glimpse of why the Bucs value his ability to move around the secondary, as he snuffed out a quick throw outside, showed his speed and solid tackling to cut what could have been a big gain to a gain of just two yards. Dud: Marshall Foerner Foerner did himself no favors in a game where offensive line depth was already under scrutiny.
His struggles in protection contributed to a difficult night for Tampa Bay's backup quarterbacks, including a costly play where Browning absorbed a major hit. With roster cuts approaching, players fighting for depth spots cannot afford those kinds of breakdowns. Dud: Jake Browning Browning completed passes, but he didn't create much momentum. While Daniels brought life to the offense in the second half, Browning's performance felt flat. Some of that falls on the protection in front of him, but the reality is that he had an opportunity to answer Daniels' strong preseason and didn't do enough to swing the competition back in his direction.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs Studs and Duds From Preseason Game 2 Against Chiefs
