Buccaneers rule out Baker Mayfield as Jalon Daniels makes second start Thursday night at Dallas

The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers will turn to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels again Thursday night, Oct. 8, when they visit the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff on Prime Video. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was ruled out on the team's injury report with his right thumb injury after missing every practice this week, leaving Daniels to make his second career start and first on the road as Tampa Bay tries to avoid an 0-5 start.

The Bucs (0-4) are 14-point underdogs against the Cowboys (2-2), according to the line listed in the team's game preview. Tampa Bay also ruled out safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (rib), cornerback Benjamin Morrison (quad) and linebacker SirVocea Dennis.

Mayfield's status

Mayfield dislocated his right thumb on a late interception in the Week 3 loss to Minnesota on Sept. 27 and left the game. The team said two days later that he would miss at least three weeks. He did not practice Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday this week, according to the Bucs' official injury report, and was listed as out for Thursday.

The short week made Thursday's game the least likely of the possible return dates. Tampa Bay does not play again until Sunday, Oct. 18, against Pittsburgh at Raymond James Stadium, which falls about three weeks after the injury and is the earliest realistic target for his return. The team has not announced a timeline beyond the original estimate. Mayfield, the franchise's highest-paid player after an extension that runs through 2029, has been the starter since 2023.

How Tampa Bay reached 0-4

Every Bucs loss has been by one score. Here are Tampa Bay's results under coach Todd Bowles, now in his fifth season.

The defense has kept the Bucs close. Tampa Bay ranks fourth in the NFL in total defense (282.8 yards allowed per game) and third against the run (78.5 yards per game), according to team figures. The problem has been the other side of the ball: the Bucs are 24th in scoring at 19.0 points per game, 31st in red-zone efficiency at 41.7% and tied for 27th in turnover margin at minus-5.

Jalon Daniels' first start

Daniels, who went undrafted out of Kansas, became the first undrafted rookie to start at quarterback for Tampa Bay in Sunday's 17-14 loss to Green Bay. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards with a touchdown and two first-half interceptions and ran for 55 yards. The Bucs finished with 275 total yards.

A win in Dallas would make him the first undrafted rookie quarterback in franchise history to win as a starter. Daniels told team reporters this week that what he has tried to take from Mayfield is "his composure through every single situation, whether it is good or bad."

Tampa Bay's backfield work has been split among Bucky Irving, Sean Tucker and Kenny Gainwell. A reliable run game would help protect Daniels against a Dallas defense that ranks 31st against the run, allowing 150.3 yards per game.

Injury report

Both teams released their final injury reports Wednesday. The players with game designations are listed below.

There was some good news for Tampa Bay's defense. Edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. (groin and shoulder) was a full participant all week, carries no game designation and is expected to return. Kicker Chase McLaughlin (groin and hip) and linebacker Josiah Trotter (knee), who leads the team with 30 tackles, were also full participants by the end of the week. McLaughlin has 34 points this season and is closing in on Mike Alstott on the franchise's career scoring list, setting up a kicking duel with Dallas' Brandon Aubrey, who has 36.

Scouting the Cowboys

Dallas has the offense to test a short-handed secondary. The Cowboys rank second in the league at 30.5 points per game. Dak Prescott has thrown for 1,065 yards and eight touchdowns with a 105.0 passer rating, and CeeDee Lamb leads the NFL with 37 catches and 498 receiving yards. George Pickens and tight end Jake Ferguson are also key targets, and running back Javonte Williams has six rushing touchdowns.

The Dallas defense has been far less reliable, ranking 29th in points allowed (28.0 per game) with only four sacks, which gives Daniels a chance to settle in if his line holds up. Joey Porter Jr., acquired from Pittsburgh, could start at cornerback after missing three games. Bowles still described the Cowboys as "probably the most physically gifted team we'll face this year."

Series history

Dallas leads the regular-season series 14-6, and Tampa Bay is 2-11 on the road against the Cowboys. The teams last met in 2024, a 26-24 Dallas win, and the Cowboys have won all three postseason meetings. Tampa Bay's most recent win in the series came in 2021, when Ryan Succop kicked a 36-yard field goal to finish a 31-29 shootout.

How to watch

Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung will call the game on Prime Video. In the Tampa Bay area, the radio broadcast is on 98Rock (97.9 FM) with Tony Castricone and Dave Moore, and the Spanish-language call is on 96.1 Caliente.

What's next

After Thursday's game, the Bucs get a long week before hosting Pittsburgh at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, on CBS at Raymond James Stadium. Mayfield's practice participation the week of Oct. 12 will be the first real indication of whether he can return against the Steelers. Until he does, the Bucs' season rests on a rookie quarterback and a defense that has kept every game within one possession.