The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' official depth chart had some surprises on each side of the ball. See which players have moved into starting roles ahead of Week 1.
This Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off the 2026-2027 season on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Ahead of game one, the team released their official Week 1 depth chart, with some surprises littered across both sides of the ball.
Below, I will share some of the most interesting findings from the release.
Offense
The biggest change from Tampa's initial depth chart released during the preseason is starting quarterback Baker Mayfield's backup.
Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels earned the nod after leading Tampa to two preseason victories, and showing flashes of talent throughout training camp.
This is relatively unheard of from undrafted quarterbacks, with the last one to make an official roster being Trevone Boykin in 2016.
"There’s no blueprint for an undrafted rookie becoming your number 2 quarterback," General Manager Jason Licht said following the announcement. "Jalon basically wrote his own."
Another interesting note is Jalen McMillan being listed as the final starting wide receiver alongside Chris Godwin Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.
This was expected, but strides from rookie Ted Hurst III had brought forth the possibility that he could earn the nod.
McMillan missed a lot of last season with a neck injury suffered in preseason, but has shown the ability to produce, especially in the redzone.
With Mike Evans departing in free agency, the Bucs are relying on McMillan to return to rookie-year form.
Defense
The biggest note from the entire depth chart is rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter being named the starting inside linebacker alongside veteran Alex Anzalone.
Trotter and EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. are the lone rookie starting on this year's team, with both players showing flashes of high potential and talent.
Linebackers coach Mike Caldwell is extremely high on his new man in the middle, saying Trotter has no limit for how good he can become.
"When you understand the talent that he has, the ceiling is high," Caldwell said. "There is no ceiling for him right now."
In the secondary, second-year defensive back Jacob Parrish beat out Benjamin Morrison for the secondary starting CB position, having served as a swiss army knife on head coach Todd Bowles' defense last season.
Morrison, Tampa's second-round draft pick from last season, has missed a lot of time since entering the league, but has talent if he can stay healthy.
He will certainly still see plenty of playtime alongside rookie Keionte Scott, who are both looking to make an impact in their opportunities.
