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PFF Grades for the Buccaneers First Preseason Game
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- PFF Grades for the Buccaneers First Preseason Game
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened the 2026 preseason with a 24-16 win over the New York Jets , giving coaches their first real opportunity to evaluate the roster against another team. The final score was encouraging, but individual performances from players competing for roles mattered more at this stage of the year. Tampa Bay overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit, scored 14 points in the second half and finished with two rushing touchdowns and a defensive score.
Pro Football Focus' grades from the opener offered another look at who stood out. Some of the names near the top were expected contributors, while others are fighting simply to earn a place on the final roster. Here are the five highest-graded Buccaneers on each side of the ball.
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Top five offensive PFF grades
1. Ko Kieft , TE: 92.7
Kieft easily earned Tampa Bay's highest offensive grade and did most of his damage as a blocker. PFF gave him a 91.2 run-blocking grade across 10 run-blocking snaps, while he also earned a 73.2 pass-blocking grade. Kieft played 18 total offensive snaps and didn't commit a penalty.
2. Jalon Daniels , QB: 75.9
Daniels' first preseason appearance gave the Buccaneers plenty to like. PFF gave him a 75.9 overall grade and a 74.7 passing grade while he played 35 snaps. Daniels completed 10 of 15 passes for 111 yards and wasn't sacked, while also rushing three times for nine yards and scoring Tampa Bay's final touchdown on a 1-yard run. His touchdown capped a 16-play, 65-yard fourth-quarter drive that helped put the game away.
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3. Elijah Klein , G: 74.2
Klein put together a balanced performance over 41 offensive snaps. He earned a 74.6 pass-blocking grade and a 71.0 run-blocking grade, giving him the highest overall mark among Tampa Bay's offensive linemen. He also finished without a penalty.
4. Justin Skule , T: 70.1
Skule wasn't far behind Klein. He played 28 snaps at left tackle and posted a 70.3 pass-blocking grade along with a 68.3 run-blocking mark. With roster spots along the offensive line still being sorted out, a clean performance with solid grades in both areas was a positive start to his preseason.
5. Devin Culp , TE: 66.7
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Another tight end cracked the top five, with Culp earning a 66.7 overall grade. His 67.0 receiving grade was his strongest individual mark. Culp caught one pass for 14 yards on two targets during the game.
Top five defensive PFF grades
1. Ayden Garnes, CB: 91.8
There wasn't much debate about Tampa Bay's highest-graded defender. Garnes earned a 91.8 overall grade and an outstanding 93.6 coverage grade after making one of the biggest plays of the night. He intercepted Bailey Zappe in the second quarter and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 10.
PFF charted Garnes with two tackles and an interception while allowing one reception on two targets for 26 yards. Quarterbacks produced just a 56.3 passer rating when throwing into his coverage.
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2. Josiah Trotter, LB: 82.4
Trotter didn't need a large workload to make an impression. The rookie played 15 defensive snaps and earned an 82.4 overall grade, including a 78.1 run-defense grade and a 76.0 tackling grade. He finished with one tackle and two assists while not being charged with a missed tackle.
3. Caden Fordham, LB: 78.8
Fordham produced one of the more complete defensive performances of the night. He earned a 78.8 overall grade with marks of 78.4 for tackling, 70.5 as a pass rusher and 72.5 in coverage. PFF also credited him with a hurry, two tackles and two defensive stops across 27 snaps.
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4. Keionte Scott, CB: 73.8
Scott's first preseason action was another encouraging step for the rookie. He earned a 73.8 defensive grade and an 81.3 coverage grade while playing 28 snaps, most of them from the slot. Scott allowed one catch for five yards on two targets and forced a missed tackle after the catch.
5. Jack Pyburn, OLB: 71.0
Pyburn made his impact rushing the quarterback. PFF credited him with two pressures, both of which became sacks, across 16 pass-rushing snaps. His 74.0 tackling grade was also his best individual mark. The official gamebook credited Pyburn with two sacks for 15 yards, including a third-quarter takedown of Bailey Zappe.
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Tampa Bay's defense ultimately produced the more memorable individual performances. The Bucs intercepted two passes, with Garnes taking one back for a touchdown and Rashad Wisdom recording the other, while the defense also generated four sacks.
It was only the first preseason game, and PFF grades are one piece of the evaluation, not the final word on any roster battle. Still, players such as Daniels, Garnes, Trotter, Fordham and Pyburn gave the Buccaneers coaching staff something positive to build on as the competition for roster spots and playing time continues.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: PFF Grades for the Buccaneers First Preseason Game
