The Tampa Bay Buccaneers closed out the preseason with a frustrating performance Friday night, falling 19-0 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game that featured no starters from either team.
For Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels, the finale was an important opportunity to strengthen his case for Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback job. Instead, his performance appeared to leave the competition leaning toward veteran Jake Browning.
Daniels had impressed earlier in the preseason, leading Tampa Bay to come-from-behind victories over the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. That earned the undrafted rookie from Kansas a surprise start against Jacksonville, giving him nearly three quarters to demonstrate that he was ready to move ahead of Browning and Connor Bazelak on the depth chart.
The opportunity, however, produced little offensive success. Daniels completed 8 of 15 passes for just 57 yards and was sacked three times. He also rushed four times for 9 yards. Tampa Bay punted on six of its first seven possessions, while a botched snap ended the other drive.
The young quarterback also received little help from his receivers. Rookie Dean Patterson IV and third-year pro Kameron Johnson each dropped third down passes that ended Tampa Bay’s opening two drives. Garrett Greene added another costly drop when a pass slipped through his fingertips in the second quarter.
With the Buccaneers unable to sustain drives, Jacksonville’s defense gradually took control. While Daniels struggled to generate offense, several Jacksonville rookies made a strong case for roles on the Jaguars’ defensive line.
Jacksonville is searching for reliable depth behind star pass rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, and rookies Wesley Williams and Bryan Thomas Jr. provided plenty of encouragement.
Williams, a fourth-round selection from Duke, nearly brought Daniels down on one play before later recovering a fumble. Thomas, an undrafted rookie from South Carolina, was even more disruptive, finishing with 2½ sacks.
The performances from Williams and Thomas give Jacksonville additional options alongside second year defensive lineman B.J. Greene II and veteran Dennis Gardeck.
Jacksonville’s quarterbacks produced considerably more than Tampa Bay’s offense. Nick Mullens, Trevor Lawrence’s backup, completed 5 of 7 passes for 62 yards during the first quarter before giving way to Carter Bradley.
Bradley, the son of former Jaguars coach Gus Bradley, had opportunities to produce even more. He missed on two deep passes that could have resulted in touchdowns, but eventually found DeeJay Dallas for a touchdown late in the third quarter.
Bradley then added a successful two point conversion by scrambling into the end zone. Cam Little also provided a highlight for Jacksonville by connecting on a 61-yard field goal. The Jaguars’ final touchdown came late in the game when rookie Michael Wortham fielded a punt and raced 63 yards for a score, putting the finishing touches on Jacksonville’s shutout victory.
The game also gave Jaguars head coach Liam Coen an opportunity to get back into the play-calling rhythm before the regular season. Coen called Jacksonville’s offensive plays during the first half after offensive coordinator Grant Udinski handled play-calling during the team’s first two preseason games.
After halftime, Coen handed the responsibility back to several offensive assistants. He followed a similar approach defensively, sharing play calling duties with his assistants as Jacksonville wrapped up its preseason preparations.
For the Jaguars, the 19-0 victory provided a strong finish and showcased some promising young talent. For Tampa Bay, the finale raised more questions than answers particularly at quarterback.
Daniels had entered the night with momentum after two impressive comeback victories, but his struggles against Jacksonville may have made it more difficult to unseat Browning for the No. 2 job behind Baker Mayfield.
The preseason is now over, and the Buccaneers will have to make their final roster decisions with Daniels’ performance in Jacksonville fresh in their minds.
