The Buccaneers added a swath of rookies to the roster ahead of training camp and there are five long shots that have a good chance of shaking things up. Even if the odds are stacked against them.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
are less than one week away
from veterans reporting to training camp, and that creates plenty of conversation about which undrafted rookies could shake things up over the next few weeks.
The Buccaneers' 53-man roster is far from set, with several position battles looming across the depth chart. From quarterback to cornerback, the Buccaneers have undrafted free agents who possess the traits and the opportunity to stick around well beyond the preseason.
So, with all that being said, let's go ahead and break down five guys who have a legitimate chance to make an impact.
There's a lot to like about Daniels. NFL Films legend Greg Cosell believes he could develop into a starting quarterback down the line, and while the Buccaneers have their franchise guy in Baker Mayfield
, that's encouraging news.
Mayfield is over the age of 30, and even though quarterbacks have played for a long time in recent years, it's still good to know there's a cheaper, younger prospect who could help Tampa Bay
maintain a competitive roster long-term. As quarterbacks get older and pile up accomplishments, they tend to get more expensive. In terms of roster construction, Daniels is a promising development.
Jake Browning is no lock for the No. 2 job, either. He was unimpressive when he replaced Joe Burrow in 2025. Connor Bazelak has drawn praise from the organization, but he's still a former undrafted free agent climbing the ladder, himself. That opens the door for Daniels to compete.
Mike Biehl is on record saying Latofsky is the kind of offensive lineman the Buccaneers target. He even mentioned that Latofsky and rookie fifth-rounder Billy Scrauth should be a good combination on the interior offensive line.
When you consider that Dan Feeney
was brought back on a minimum deal, Elijah Klein
was passed over multiple times last year, and Luke Haggard is coming off an injury, the path to the 53 becomes much clearer.
At 6-foot-6, over 310 pounds, with an absolute mean streak, Latofsky has a real chance to carve out a roster spot.
Wright was very productive during his final year in college, and his body type is intriguing at 6-foot-4, over 230 pounds with an incredible wingspan. There are all kinds of ways the Buccaneers could deploy him. Think a poor man's Isaiah Simmons , the former top-10 pick of the Arizona Cardinals .
Wright has a good chance to push this linebacker room. SirVocea Dennis 's contract is not guaranteed, meaning it wouldn't cost Tampa Bay anything to move on from him. Christian Rozeboom was brought in on a minimum deal, and guys like John Bullock and Nick Jackson impressed at various points but didn't stick on the 53-man roster for the full season.
Fordham was arguably college football's most productive linebacker in 2025, but athleticism concerns hurt his draft stock.
The production and the instincts are undeniable, though. And honestly, it's hard to say whether instincts or athleticism matter more at linebacker. A player can be as athletic as he wants, but if he can't diagnose a play, it doesn't matter.
Like Wright, Fordham has a real opportunity to shake things up during camp, especially in a room with a couple veterans on shaky contractual ground.
Garnes walks into a Buccaneers cornerback room that has an established starter in Zyon McCollum
, but McCollum has a lot to prove in 2026 after a down year.
After that, the plan is clear for the top guys, but the depth remains iffy, at best. The vision starts with Benjamin Morrison
and Jacob Parrish
. Morrison will man the outside during nickel situations while Parrish slides inside, and that alignment will be in place roughly 65-70% of the time. Parrish then moves to the outside in base defense.
But what happens if one of those guys goes down? Rookie Keionte Scott is there, but he's a Day 3 draft pick who ideally shouldn't have too much on his plate during a prove-it year for the franchise. If Morrison isn't healthy, Garnes could potentially step in and make a real difference over the next few weeks.
Training camp will reveal whether these five undrafted prospects have the goods to earn a roster spot. Given the depth chart questions facing Tampa Bay at multiple positions, the opportunity is there for each of them.
Honorable mentions (in no specific order): WR Eric Rivers Jr., TE Kenny Fletcher Jr., LB Jack Pyburn
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Buccaneers UDFA quarterback tops the list of 5 underdog rookies that have a chance to shake things up in training camp
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