Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb on his throwing hand late in Tampa Bay’s 23 to 16 loss to Minnesota, and the veteran quarterback is undergoing additional testing to determine the full extent of the injury. X-rays did not reveal a fracture, but an MRI will provide a better picture of any ligament damage. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Mayfield could miss somewhere between two and four weeks in the best-case scenario and could be out indefinitely if there is severe ligament damage that requires surgery.
Undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels could be looking at starts against the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, if not deeper into the season. Daniels earned Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback job after
an impressive preseason. He completed 27 of 44 passes for 239 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions while adding another dimension with his legs. His best performance came against the Jets, when he completed 10 of 15 passes for 111 yards and led two second-half touchdown drives.
First comes Green Bay at Raymond James Stadium. The Packers present a much different challenge than anything Daniels saw during the preseason. For Tampa Bay, the priority has to be keeping the offense manageable for its rookie quarterback. Getting the running game involved, using play action and allowing Daniels to use his mobility could help keep him out of obvious passing situations. Just four days after facing Green Bay, Tampa Bay travels to Dallas for Thursday Night Football. That gives Daniels almost no time to process his first NFL start before potentially making his second on the road in prime time. The short week could also limit how much Tampa Bay can change its offense specifically for him. If Mayfield remains sidelined for a third game, Daniels would then get a much-needed extended break before Pittsburgh comes to Tampa on October 18th. The Steelers have traditionally put pressure on quarterbacks and used disguise, making protection and decision-making especially important for a rookie still adjusting to NFL speed.
Daniels' mobility can become a legitimate part of the offense. Designed quarterback runs, read options, rollouts, and scrambling ability could force defenses to account for an element they did not have to worry about as much with Mayfield. The Bucs also clearly believe in him. Tampa Bay kept only Mayfield and Daniels on its original 53-man roster, an unusual amount of trust placed in an undrafted rookie. Head coach Todd Bowles has already indicated Daniels would likely be the next man up if Mayfield cannot play. Now he may get an extended opportunity to prove they were right.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs turn to Jalon Daniels to take over starting QB duties
