TAMPA - Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels will make his NFL starting debut Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium, after Baker Mayfield was ruled out with a dislocated right thumb that ended his streak of 57 consecutive starts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mayfield dislocated the thumb late in the Buccaneers’ Week Three contest against Minnesota. He was one of four Tampa Bay players ruled out for the Week Four matchup, joined by outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. (groin/shoulder), tight end Ko Kieft (elbow) and cornerback Benjamin Morrison (elbow).
Three players listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report were cleared in time for kickoff. Starting cornerback Jacob Parrish, who missed two of the Bucs’ three practices this week for a personal matter, is active, as are linebacker SirVocea Dennis and defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, who sustained an ankle injury in pregame warmups a week ago.
The Buccaneers and Packers submitted their inactives list at 11:32 a.m. ET Sunday, 90 minutes before kickoff. After elevating linebacker Caden Fordham and quarterback Easton Stick from the practice squad, Tampa Bay had 55 available players and named seven inactives to reach the game-day limit of 48. The full Buccaneers inactive list includes Bain, defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart, guard Luke Haggard, Kieft, Mayfield, Morrison and guard Billy Schrauth.
Green Bay will also play shorthanded along the offensive line. Guard Aaron Banks, who started the one game in which he played in September, is out with knee and toe issues, and reserve offensive lineman Jacob Monk is unavailable with a quadricep injury. The Packers signed veteran guards Kevin Zeitler and Laken Tomlinson during the week, but Zeitler was placed on the inactive list. Rookie center Jager Burton, who was questionable Friday, is active. The Packers did not elevate any practice squad players and placed defensive tackle Warren Brinson on injured reserve Saturday, leaving them with only four inactives: Banks, defensive tackle Anthony Campbell, Monk and Zeitler.
Daniels’ debut comes with the Buccaneers looking to build on their early-season record heading into the second quarter of the 2026 campaign. Mayfield’s status for future games will depend on the recovery timeline for the dislocated thumb.