Jake Browning suffered an undisclosed injury during Tuesday's joint practice with the Jets, leaving his availability for Friday night's preseason opener uncertain. Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Browning was expected to start the game before suffering the injury.
If Browning can't suit up, the bulk of the quarterback reps could fall to Daniels and fellow undrafted rookie Connor Bazelak. For Daniels, that would represent a significant opportunity.
The former Kansas quarterback signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft and entered camp competing for a backup role behind Baker Mayfield. Daniels has plenty of athletic ability to work with. During his Kansas career, he showed the ability to make plays with both his arm and legs, finishing his college career with 9,282 passing yards, 67 touchdowns and 1,445 rushing yards. Now he could get an extended opportunity to show how those skills translate to the NFL.
The Buccaneers originally signed Browning to provide experienced depth behind Mayfield, and his injury creates an unexpected hole in that plan. Browning has the advantage of NFL experience and was expected to handle the starting quarterback duties against New York, meaning Daniels wasn't necessarily preparing for an extended workload, but if Browning is unable to play, Daniels will have the opportunity to operate the offense for potentially significant stretches against the Jets.
How he handles pressure, protects the football, makes decisions, and keeps the offense moving could have a major impact on the team's evaluation of him.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs UDFA QB has a unique chance in preseason opener