Jake Browning is back on the field for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the backup quarterback race behind Baker Mayfield is still wide open. Browning returned to practice this week after a back tweak cost him the start he was slated to make in the preseason opener against the Jets last Friday.
Todd Bowles said Wednesday the No. 2 quarterback competition was open, and Browning said he is not backing away from it. “I think any time you're in the NFL and you think you're above any kind of competition, you're in the wrong business,” he said. “I welcome any competition and feel pretty confident that I've been really well this camp.”
The timing matters because Tampa Bay signed Browning in March to add experienced depth after not re-signing Teddy Bridgewater following the 2025 season. Browning spent most of the past three seasons as Joe Burrow's primary backup in Cincinnati, giving the Buccaneers a quarterback with 15 regular season games and 10 starts before this camp. He also has a track record of holding up when called on, helping Cincinnati win four of seven games in 2023 after Burrow was injured.
Browning said the back issue briefly interrupted what had been a strong stretch. “I had the back thing pop up, and really before that I felt like I was playing really well,” he said. “And then since coming back I've kind of picked up right where I left off.” The Buccaneers have Connor Bazelak and Jalon Daniels in the room as well, and Browning made it clear he sees that as a strength, not a threat. “Yeah, JD played well and Baze is a really good player, too, so we've got a good room,” he said. “I'm not shying away from any competition. Bring it.”
Bowles said Browning's playing time has not been determined, but the team still has two more games to sort out the backup spot. That leaves Browning with a simple task: turn the next snaps into proof that the job is his, or keep the door open for someone else to take it in the final stretch of preseason play.
