By Five Buccaneers Players to Watch in Preseason Opener vs. Jets
TAMPA — The scoreboard won’t be the most important thing when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers open the 2026 preseason Friday night against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
For Todd Bowles and his coaching staff, this game is about evaluation.
With most of Tampa Bay’s established starters expected to sit, the preseason opener will give rookies and young players an extended opportunity to fight for roster spots and roles.
The Buccaneers and Jets have already seen plenty of each other after two competitive and occasionally heated joint practices this week.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and here are five Buccaneers worth keeping a close eye on.
1. Jalon Daniels, QB
Perhaps no Buccaneer has more to gain Friday night than Jalon Daniels.
With Baker Mayfield expected to sit and Jake Browning questionable as he deals with an injury, Daniels should receive a significant opportunity to run the offense.
The rookie out of Kansas has shown flashes throughout training camp, but preseason football is different. Now the coaching staff gets to see how he handles the huddle, pressure, third downs, and the speed of an actual NFL game.
Daniels’ mobility is intriguing. His ability to escape pressure and create outside the pocket gives Tampa Bay something different at quarterback.
He doesn’t need to put up huge numbers. What matters is command of the offense, protecting the football and consistently moving the chains.
2. David Walker, OLB
If there has been a breakout story in Buccaneers training camp, David Walker belongs near the top of the list.
After losing his rookie season to a knee injury, Walker has returned with a vengeance.
The former Central Arkansas standout has consistently created pressure throughout camp, and his performance has put him into the conversation for meaningful snaps in Tampa Bay’s edge rotation.
He carried that momentum into the joint work with New York this week, where the Buccaneers credited him with helping spark the defense.
Now comes the next test.
Can Walker translate those practice pressures into actual sacks when quarterbacks are live?
Friday night could provide the first real indication.
3. Josiah Trotter, LB
Josiah Trotter has quietly become one of the more interesting young players in Tampa Bay’s defense.
The rookie linebacker has shown instincts, physicality, and an ability to attack downhill during camp. Those qualities were again noticeable against the Jets during the joint practices.
Preseason games are particularly important for young linebackers because they test much more than tackling ability.
Trotter will have to make reads, communicate, handle coverage responsibilities, and contribute on special teams.
If he continues to make plays around the football, it will become increasingly difficult for the coaching staff to keep him off the field.
4. Ted Hurst III, WR
The Buccaneers may have another young receiver pushing for playing time.
Ted Hurst III has been one of the more consistent playmakers in camp, including a touchdown during Tampa Bay’s final home practice before traveling to New York.
He followed that by making another important play during the Bucs’ successful two-minute work against the Jets.
Hurst should get plenty of opportunities Friday night. Watch how well he creates separation, whether he can make contested catches and, just as importantly, what he contributes on special teams.
For receivers fighting their way up an NFL depth chart, special-teams value can be the difference between making the 53-man roster and being released.
5. Ayden Garnes, CB
Few players have helped themselves more recently than Ayden Garnes.
The young cornerback has steadily made his case during training camp and continued to show up during Tampa Bay’s joint practices with the Jets. Garnes made one of the key defensive plays during Wednesday’s two-minute period as the Buccaneers finished their joint work on a strong note.
Now he gets a preseason stage to strengthen his roster argument.
Cornerback depth is always valuable in today’s NFL, but Garnes’ path to the roster will also depend heavily on special teams.
A strong performance against the Jets could move him another step closer to surviving final cuts.
More Than a Preseason Game
For Mayfield and Tampa Bay’s established veterans, Friday night is primarily another step toward the regular season.
For Daniels, Walker, Trotter, Hurst and Garnes, it’s considerably more important.
This is their opportunity to turn weeks of promising practices into game production.
The final score may be forgotten by Saturday morning, but for several Buccaneers fighting for jobs, what happens under the lights at MetLife Stadium could help determine where they are when the roster is trimmed to 53.
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