Mayfield enters his fourth season in Tampa Bay firmly established as the franchise quarterback. He threw for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2025, although the season ended with the Bucs missing the playoffs at 8-9 after a 6-2 start. Now working with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, Mayfield will help Tampa Bay's offense rebound and get the franchise back into the postseason.
The real storyline in the quarterback room is Jalon Daniels. Daniels arrived as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas and entered training camp fourth on the depth chart. By the end of the preseason, he had done enough to beat out veterans Jake Browning and Connor Bazelak for the backup job. Tampa Bay ultimately released both, leaving Daniels as the only quarterback behind
Mayfield on the active roster. General manager Jason Licht called Daniels earning the job an "incredible accomplishment" and emphasized that the rookie earned the trust of his coaches and teammates throughout the offseason. The decision is also unusual for Tampa Bay. Daniels is the first rookie to open a season as the Bucs' primary backup since Mike Glennon in 2013, and Glennon was a third-round pick.
That makes Daniels one of the biggest wild cards on the offense. His mobility gives Tampa Bay something different behind Mayfield, and his development throughout camp was enough for the organization to trust him over a more experienced option. But there is still a significant difference between producing during the preseason and being asked to run an NFL offense in a meaningful game. The Bucs did add some insurance after roster cuts by signing Easton Stick to the practice squad. Stick has four career starts and previously worked with Robinson and quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates in Atlanta. That familiarity should make it easier for Tampa Bay to turn to him if it needs additional depth during the season. Ultimately, Tampa Bay's quarterback room will go as far as Mayfield takes it. The Bucs aren't expecting Daniels or Stick to see significant action if everything goes as planned.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Buccaneers position preview: Quarterback
