Trusting Todd Bowles
September 20th, 2026
A top backup, BSPN says.
This interesting thinking to determine Bucs quarter Jalon Daniels is one of the best backups in the league.
That’s the conclusion Seth Walder of BSPN, a man who never met a number he didn’t like, came to in tagging Daniels as the No. 7 backup in the NFL.
This, despite Daniels being a rookie and having never taken a snap in a real NFL game.
The way Walder seems to think, if KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles decided to keep a rookie undrafted free agent as Baker Mayfield’s immediate backup, the Bucs must have something good on their hands; otherwise, they would never take such a massive if not irresponsible risk for a team with playoff aspirations.
Is this a reach? Maybe. But undrafted rookies face serious headwinds making rosters, much less being in potentially important roles. So, the fact that Daniels beat out Jake Browning (my No. 2 backup last year) is a major point in his favor. It’s a far stronger signal than a middle-round pick landing a backup job partially due to the draft capital used on him.
The preseason tape is incredibly enticing, too, with Daniels spinning out of pressures like Russell Wilson, making throws on the run and ripping the ball downfield between defenders. His value is team-dependent. He is a less helpful backup for a Super Bowl contender because he’s riskier than many of the players below [in the ranking]. But he also has a lot more upside.
This all sounds good. And Joe likes Daniels a lot. But man, if anything would happen to Mayfield late in the season and the Bucs are fighting for a playoff spot, that’s a whole helluva lot of pressure to put on an undrafted free agent.
Maybe the Bucs figure with his wheels, Daniels would be able to survive having to put the Bucs on his back?
So why isn’t Daniels ranked, say, at No. 6? Because that is where Walder has America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston.
September 20th, 2026 at 1:31 am
Any games where we are up by a lot in the 4th qtr, and it looks like our D has it under control, we need to put him in there for experience … also to give Bake a rest.
We’ll see…. its a big IF! Need to be winning with our starters first (BAKE and Company)
September 20th, 2026 at 1:46 am
Playoffs?! Hahaha 😆
September 20th, 2026 at 2:20 am
Bowles kept Bridgewater last year. How did that go? Where did this joker have Bridgewater rated last year?
September 20th, 2026 at 2:25 am
You lost me at ‘Trusting Todd Bowels’….
September 20th, 2026 at 2:46 am
You lost me at ‘Trusting Todd Bowles’…
September 20th, 2026 at 5:52 am
We know what JW brings. I pass! I’m excited for Daniel’s. LFG !!!
September 20th, 2026 at 6:08 am
Win a game before using the P word at all.
September 20th, 2026 at 6:09 am
MadMax
Baker refused to come off the field when he is injured. There’s no way he’s coming off when he’s healthy. That being said, I agree with you and hopefully, today would be such an occasion.
September 20th, 2026 at 6:14 am
When reading this story I kept thinking, “ you can’t be serious, he’s an undrafted rookie!” Then I got to the last sentence and realized the story is ridiculous.
September 20th, 2026 at 6:50 am
Rookie Shuan King 1999, took over for an incompetent Trent Dilfer and got the Bucs to the NFC Championship Game. Only difference is that he was a 2nd round pick, not undrafted FA. Both similar in size, 6 foot 1.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:02 am
Dilfer got hurt, and actually looked like the light bulb was coming on.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:18 am
Best backup QB? This may be the stupidest thing to rate and stupidest way of determining the rating.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:36 am
Having a QB who has never played ONE NFL snap as your backup is malpractice by Licht when your team has playoff potential in a crappy division! Like somebody said here, he needs to be put in every game they can for live bullets, hopefully that starts today, and the BUCS are up 2-3 scores late in game! Go Bucs!!
September 20th, 2026 at 7:42 am
Oh please!
JD is not close to being ready for the NFL
September 20th, 2026 at 7:43 am
What are we paying this kid, $12.50 an hour? I think a good chunk of this is saving the few million we’d have paid Browning to ALSO not play
September 20th, 2026 at 7:46 am
Wentz already won a game as back up this year ,, he’s by far #1,,, Hopefully Cooper Rush doesn’t get one under his belt today
September 20th, 2026 at 7:47 am
Joe or anybody— A little off topic but did anyone notice Todd’s use of timeouts before the two minute warning in the 4th quarter? I can’t go back and look but it seemed silly to use two timeouts within 15 seconds before the 2 minute warning when Cinci had the ball on early downs. At the time I was like, you’re using a timeout to save 12 seconds only so they can burn 40 afterwards?
September 20th, 2026 at 7:51 am
I like the idea of going with young potential. Let’s face it, Browning won’t win you many games. What’s good for Daniels, and the Buc defense is he gets reps, and they get to work against a mobile QB. Those scout team reps are invaluable for a young QB.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:28 am
Wow. Joe still has unresolved man love for Winston.
As for trusting Bowles. Look where that has gotten us.
2-8 in our last ten. Most HC\DC’s in the NFL would get run for that.
Here’s hoping the Browns embarrass him yet again in front of the home crowd.
Maybe that will shock people back into coherence.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:48 am
Truth is, you don’t know how he would do if he was forced to start.
He might do okay if the offensive line is playing well and healthy and the receivers are healthy as too. Would be especially helpful if the running game was cranking.
When San Francisco had to play Brock Purdy back when their first 2 QBs went down, they didn’t foresee his ascension.
They were thinking “we are screwed!” as a fan base.
You just never know.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:53 am
I’m all for keeping Daniels as the backup. It’s true that if Baker gets a serious injury, then we might be screwed, but that’s true for most teams losing their starting QB.
Daniel’s has a rocket arm and looked pretty good playing behind the 3rd string O-linemen. His ceiling is high, and the Bucs needed to hold on to him. He can take over for Baker in 2029. 😉
September 20th, 2026 at 9:31 am
@KABucs,
I 100% agree. Daniels played impressively at times behind the 3-stringer o-linemen, so I’d love to see him play behind the starters.
A player’s draft position doesn’t determine how he’ll do in the NFL. The truth is, it’s difficult for even GMs, scouts, etc., to predict how well a QB will play. If that weren’t the case, teams wouldn’t have passed on Brock Purdy until the 262nd pick or Tom Brady until the 199th pick. And Jameis Winston wouldn’t have been picked #1.
September 20th, 2026 at 11:17 am
KA, I’m sorry but the 49rs realized Purdy was better than Trey Lance in the pre-season. It’s a tribute to they org. that they immediately realized their error and took steps to correct it. Something the Bucs have never been able to do lately. Keeping JTS as long as they did was an abomination. Braswell only a little less so. But, it was a horrible pick for Lynch and Shanahan. Suitable for a JL pick.
September 20th, 2026 at 11:55 am
@BucsfaninOregon,
JTS was widely viewed as a late 1st-round pick to a late 2nd-round pick, so for the Bucs to pick him at the very end of the 1st (#32) wasn’t a major reach.
While his career was obviously very disappointing as a 1st-round pick, calling it an “abomination” to keep him as long as they did is a bit much. He played elsewhere in the NFL after leaving Tampa, and in March of this year the Eagles signed him, so apparently they believed he had some value.
September 20th, 2026 at 12:53 pm
Not saying Trask was better, but like Trask, Daniels will never see the field. He will eventually get scooped up and go win championships for another team.
September 20th, 2026 at 12:53 pm
Any of you that want Daniel’s to start I believe you probably need a mental health examination, the worst day of the last 10 years was when we let Liam Coen walk out the door and kept bubba gump.
September 20th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
It’s exciting to know we have a backup for Baker who can play if needed. Yes, no doubt, Daniels is good !!
Go Bucs !!
September 20th, 2026 at 2:35 pm
Can’t rank someone that has never taken a NFL snap come on
September 20th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Nick jannette Says:
Any of you that want Daniel’s to start I believe you probably need a mental health examination, the worst day of the last 10 years was when we let Liam Coen walk out the door and kept bubba gump.
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That’s kind of a Strawman Argument; who wrote that they wanted Daniels to start?