The Buccaneers get their 2026 season started on the right foot, defeating the New York Jets 24-16 in their first preseason game. Opting not to play any starters or even many second-stringers, the Bucs gave their young players an opportunity to earn more playing time or even a place on the final roster.
After a rough start against many of the Jets' starters, the Bucs took control of the game thanks to big plays by their defense, especially rookie cornerback Ayden Garnes' second-quarter pick-six. The offense did not really pick up until the second half when rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels hit the field, leading Tampa Bay's only two touchdown drives of the evening.
Given the Bucs had backups playing starters even for just a few drives, Tampa Bay has to be encouraged by the result. Still, there were a number of issues that head coach Todd Bowles will want addressed before next week's preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
QuarterbackGrade: B
Third-string quarterback Connor Bazelak did little to make anyone question Jake Browning's place on the depth chart. His ball placement was scattershot, and his lack of athleticism was on full display. Bazelak does not have the tools to keep plays alive when his protection breaks down.
Jalon Daniels, on the other hand, brought the Bucs' offense to life. With a play style all but identical to Baker Mayfield, Daniels put his arm and athleticism on full display in the Bucs' preseason opener. He orchestrated both of the Bucs' offensive scoring drives and was plainly more effective than Bazelak. Daniels earned the opportunity to start next week.
Running BackGrade: C
It was a ho-hum night for Tampa Bay's tailbacks. Josh Williams led the team with eight carries for 27 yards and a touchdown, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. Undrafted rookie Kadarius Calloway managed just 13 yards on eight carries, and Sean Tucker had just four carries for 12 yards. Though it would be tough to judge the Bucs' running backs for playing behind backup offensive lines, they did little to inspire much enthusiasm in Tampa Bay's run game heading into the regular season.
Wide ReceiverGrade: B+
Ted Hurst was the Bucs' best player on the field. He gave Bazelak great looks that were rewarded far less often than the Bucs would have liked, including a would-be touchdown that was thrown well behind Hurst that Jets CB Mory Bamba was able to break up. The rest of the receiving corps performed admirably, particularly Garrett Greene and Dennis Houston.
Offensive LineGrade: D+
Tampa Bay did not play any starting offensive linemen against New York, and it showed. Backup left tackle Justin Skule gave up a sack to Will McDonald on the Bucs' opening drive. Third-string left tackle Paul Rubelt had multiple holding penalties. The running game was practically nonexistent largely due to the lack of push from the line as a whole.
Defensive LineGrade: B-
The Bucs' defensive line started slow but eventually settled into a groove that kept the Jets offense from finding a rhythm of their own. Elijah Roberts picked up where he left off last season, collecting a sack and two tackles for a loss. Aside from Braelon Allen's 31-yard touchdown run, the Bucs held the Jets to three yards per carry. The line also kept Tampa Bay's defensive backfield free to attack New York's ballcarriers.
LinebackerGrade: B
David Walker appeared to be everything he was advertised to be in training camp. His pressure on Bailey Zappe led to his second interception. Walker probably would have lit up the stat sheet had he not spent the entire first quarter getting double-teamed. Meanwhile, Chris Braswell played as though his days on Tampa Bay's roster are numbered. He was a non-factor as a pass rusher and missed a few tackles in run support. Virtually every other outside linebacker on the roster at least made some kind of impression: Mo Kamara put pressure on Brady Cook to stall a late fourth quarter drive andJack Pyburn recorded his first NFL sack.
SecondaryGrade: A
The secondary overall played a physical brand of football that had been once synonymous with Todd Bowles defenses but was missing last season. Undrafted rookie Ayden Garnes might have secured a spot on Tampa Bay's regular season roster with a massive second quarter pick-six off Jets QB Bailey Zappe. Rashad Wisdom followed up with his own pick off a deflected pass and was a hard hitter in run defense. Pepe Williams was Tampa Bay's most prolific defender, recording 10 tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss and a pass deflection.
Special TeamsGrade: F
The Bucs' special teams was anything but last year, and it did not look much better to start the preseason. Riley Dixon averaged 45.3 yards per punt but continued to struggle with high-leverage situations, shanking a re-kick in the first quarter, putting a 39-yard punt in the end zone for a touchback, and kicking just 43 yards out of Tampa Bay's own end zone in the fourth quarter. Retuner Kadarius Calloway muffed his second kick return and nearly gave the Jets an easy touchdown in the first quarter. There was nothing to redeem Tampa Bay's special teams in their first action of 2026.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Report Card Grades from the Bucs' preseason win over the Jets
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