The Bucs have been one of the NFL’s best teams at scouting undrafted free agents and unearthing gems under general manager Jason Licht. It is hard to turn an undrafted player into a key contributor, but it is harder to argue with Tampa Bay’s results.

The most notable names of the bunch are Cameron Brate, Adam Humphries, and Peyton Barber. More recently, players like Christian Izien, Kaevon Merriweather, Rakim Jarrett, Sean Tucker, Markees Watts, Kameron Johnson, Ben Chukwuma, and JJ Roberts all made the 53-man roster.

With nearly $2 million in guarantees invested in this year’s undrafted free agent class, Tampa Bay clearly believes several newcomers have legitimate paths to making the 53-man roster. While several undrafted rookies will compete for roster spots this summer, these five stand out because of their guaranteed money, roster opportunities, athletic upside, or long-term developmental potential.

Note: Offensive tackle Paul Rubelt was given the highest guarantee at $277,500. Rubelt is not listed below, as the 6-foot-10 tackle projects to be the team’s IPP (International Pathway Program) player because he was born in Germany. That means he will have a roster exemption and will not count against the team’s 53-man roster this season.

5 Most Intriguing Bucs Undrafted Free Agents To Watch This Summer

QB Jalon Daniels

Jalon Daniels has the most name recognition here, and he has already drawn headlines for working his way into the Bucs’ backup quarterback competition. Daniels came in a close second to Paul Rubelt after receiving $272,500 in guaranteed money. That makes the former Kansas signal-caller all but certain to land a practice squad spot at the very least, but he has a serious chance to make it difficult on the front office to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

Bucs QB Jalon Daniels – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Doing so means Daniels must pass former undrafted free agent Connor Bazelak on the depth chart. The team is high on Bazelak, especially after he impressed throughout his initial preseason audition in 2025 and beat out former second-round pick Kyle Trask for the QB3 job. With that being said, Daniels is an electric player at the position and offers a blend of intriguing traits that will be given a long look during next month’s training camp and into the 2026 preseason.

Daniels offers serious dual-threat ability, possessing a powerful arm to stretch the field and quick legs to extend plays (ran a 4.65 40-yard time). The arm talent is there, even if it requires some fine tuning to become more efficient making quick decisions with the football. Between offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer, one can expect some NFL coaching to smooth out his rougher edges. If that happens, Daniels is only 23 years old, and his best football could very well be ahead of him.

Would Tampa Bay want to risk another team swooping in by waiving him during final roster cuts if he has a productive summer? I would find that quite hard to believe, as the Bucs could view him as a developmental backup option beyond 2026, especially with backup QB Jake Browning only signed through 2026.

Daniels may not have a realistic path to playing, but he has the kind of athletic ability that can turn heads during the preseason if he creates explosive plays outside the pocket.

WR Eric Rivers

There is no question that Eric Rivers is a talented wide receiver. It was surprising to see another team not take a Day 3 flier on Rivers, who has 4.33 speed. While game-breaking speed is his calling card, he also showcased some polish at his position during a breakout 2024 season at FIU, where he recorded 62 receptions for 1,172 yards and 12 touchdowns. That led to his transfer to Georgia Tech in 2025. Rivers did not put up the same numbers (46 receptions for 658 yards and two touchdowns), but he still led the Yellow Jackets in catches and yards.

Bucs WR Eric Rivers – Photo by: Kim Klement Neitzel – IMAGN Images

Tampa Bay invested $250,000 in Rivers despite the crowded path standing between him and a 53-man roster spot. Between Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Ted Hurst, that is four wide receivers who will receive most of the playing time. Add in Tez Johnson as the fifth wide receiver and shifty returner, and it becomes an intense competition for the last spot.

To that end, Rivers will be competing mainly with Kameron Johnson, who was a solid returner last season and has that experience under his belt as a feather in his cap. That outlook does not make it likely that he makes the team, and he’s been dealing with a hamstring issue this offseason. But if he flashes during preseason games, he could become this year’s training camp fan favorite because of his speed and big-play ability.

G Henry Lutovsky

Jason Licht loves his offensive linemen. That is his biggest strength when it comes to finding high-quality players, evidenced by him building a Super Bowl-winning offensive line in 2020 and retooling it completely around left tackle Tristan Wirfs in recent seasons. One could bet that Licht was smiling ear to ear seeing Nebraska guard Henry Lutovsky sitting there just waiting for the Bucs to sign.

Not only are the Cornhuskers his alma mater, but Lutovsky projects to be the perfect developmental offensive lineman to bring into the system and learn from the rest of the room as well as offensive line coach Kevin Carberry.

Bucs G Henry Lutovsky – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When it comes to his physical profile, there is a lot to like about his prototypical frame. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 319 pounds, Lutovsky is imposing and possesses 34-inch arms and an 83-inch wingspan. It is not just size that catches your eye watching him; his play strength is for real and evidenced by the 34 bench press reps he logged at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. With 49 games played and 28 starts between the left guard and right guard spots, Lutovsky is a versatile interior offensive lineman that could use more depth.

Ben Bredeson and Cody Mauch are back to full health, but he has a real opportunity to beat out Dan Feeney or Elijah Klein to make the team next to fifth-round pick Billy Schrauth. Assistant general manager Mike Biehl offered perhaps the strongest endorsement of Lutovsky after the team signed him.

“He’s one of the ones we’re most excited about,” Biehl told Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds last month. “We’re excited about all these guys, but he’s a guy that was draftable. We target these guys that we think are draftable. We only had seven picks this year and we know we can’t get everybody, so we target guys like this. When they don’t get drafted that’s when we get excited because we feel like we’re getting another draft pick with a few of these guys, and he is one of those. He’s a throwback – big, physical, smart, tough. The kind of typical Bucs lineman. He’ll fit in the room well.”

Offensive line competitions rarely generate the same attention as skill-position battles, but if Lutovsky impresses, he could quietly become the next young offensive lineman the organization develops into a key depth piece.

CB Ayden Garnes

Ayden Garnes did not receive one of the larger guarantees to join the Bucs, but he is betting on himself to make the team in a cornerback room that remains up in the air. The top three projects to be a combination of Zyon McCollum, Benjamin Morrison, and Jacob Parrish. Beyond that trio, it is anyone’s guess who earns the final two spots. That makes Garnes one of the more intriguing under-the-radar undrafted free agents in the class. During the second day of rookie mini-camp in May, Garnes stood out with a pass breakup while showing the instincts and reaction skills needed to thrive in coverage.

Bucs CB Ayden Garnes – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

That could play in Tampa Bay as he competes with the likes of Chase Lucas, Kemon Hall, and Josh Hayes. That is far from the most inspiring group on paper, as each of them are most known for special teams. With head coach Todd Bowles’ defense being a demanding one to learn and grasp, perhaps it is the undrafted rookie who can emerge from the rest.

During his time with Arizona last season, Garnes recorded 43 tackles, eight pass breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss, and an interception. At 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds with 4.43 speed, he has an athletic build. The Bucs are still searching for answers behind their projected starting cornerbacks entering this season, which means Garnes could be competing for a role that eventually carries real defensive snaps.

S Ja’Qurious Conley

Todd Bowles seems to have changed the barriers he placed on cornerbacks and safeties. After Bowles spent years emphasizing having long, athletic corners and short, physical safeties, the secondary has started to take on a different shape with Jacob Parrish projected to move outside despite being just 5-foot-10 and roughly 200 pounds. That does not just apply to the cornerbacks competing; the safety room got bigger with the addition of Ja’Qurious Conley from Charlotte.

Bucs S Ja’Qurious Conley – Photo courtesy of Charlotte

Conley is unlike starters Antoine Winfield Jr. or Tykee Smith, who stand 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10, respectively. The Charlotte product looks every bit the part at 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds, and he used that to have a productive season with the 49ers last season. In 11 games, he recorded 64 tackles and three interceptions. The ability to wrap up ballcarriers and take away the football was appealing enough for Tampa Bay to give him a $180,000 guarantee.

While that makes him a practice squad candidate, he has a chance to fight for a 53-man roster spot. It remains to be seen just how the secondary shakes out, but there is a possibility of the team keeping five safeties. That would mean Winfield, Smith, Miles Killebrew, and JJ Roberts all making the cut, with Conley battling with Rashad Wisdom for the final spot.

Time is running out for Wisdom to carve out a role in Tampa Bay, which could give Conley more staying power. With a recent history of uncovering overlooked defensive backs, he has the size and production profile to become the next developmental project worth monitoring.