# River Wells: Wells expects Baker Mayfield to sit out the preseason finale, suggests the Buccaneers could still name Jake Browning the backup quarterback entering the regular season, and predicts Tampa Bay will likely keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, with both Jalon Daniels and Browning making the active roster.

**Claimed:** Aug 28, 2026
**Pundit:** River Wells — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/river-wells
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/onsi/buccaneers-could-make-very-interesting-qb-decision-against-jaguars-2026

3 checkable claims — 2 roster spot calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

1 of 3 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.

> they very likely could carry three quarterbacks, meaning that both Daniels and Browning are on the active roster

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Jalon Daniels to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jalon Daniels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Jake Browning to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jake Browning, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jake Browning to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jake Browning, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Jalon Daniels — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jalon-daniels
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers
- Jake Browning — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jake-browning

## What others said about the same people

- Nick Wright on Kenyon Sadiq: Nick Wright unveiled his full 32-pick 2026 NFL mock draft 4.0, starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Avion Terrell to the Seahawks at 32. He also called Carnell Tate the best/safest receiver in the class, projected Ty Simpson inside the top 45, said Mendoza profiles as a low-end top-15 NFL quarterback, and expected the Dolphins to lose 15 games. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c5ad8a4-034f-4abb-8806-20dd9e44b5c6 (scored 95.76)
- David Harrison on C.J. Allen: Harrison delivers his only first-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft, projecting all 32 first-round picks (including several trades) plus the rest of Washington's projected class, while noting it is an exercise in what could happen rather than a firm forecast. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5cc44fc1-4ff9-447a-9c32-5f715fa6e9ba (scored 31.05)
- Daniel Jeremiah on Akheem Mesidor: Daniel Jeremiah's final 2026 NFL mock draft, projecting the first round pick by pick (including mock trades), starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Peter Woods to the Ravens via a trade with Seattle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0fbc7597-86ee-4037-a1e6-4b062ff9f12c (scored 95.76)
- Brandon Carney on Akheem Mesidor: Co-hosting a mock draft, Carney made the odd-numbered picks: Fernando Mendoza No. 1 to the Raiders, Arvell Reese No. 3 to the Cardinals, Sonny Styles No. 5 to the Giants, Mekhi Lemon No. 7 to the Commanders, Caleb Downs No. 9 to the Chiefs, and more. He also predicted AJ Brown will be a Patriot, said Kenyan Saddiq will be the first-round bust, and picked the Bengals to finish ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7184a8b6-1036-4304-a147-3b8889e3f86b (scored 73.84)
- Gregg Rosenthal on Akheem Mesidor: Rosenthal delivered a solo first-round mock draft (a "will happen" mock, no trades), naming a specific player at each of the first 32 picks. He also predicted he'd hit more than 4.5 picks correctly, and suggested George Pickens could be traded by Dallas next year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e0b75c16-85ff-4257-8b56-d51a668d725c (scored 73.84)
- Nick Wright on Kenyon Sadiq: Nick Wright laid out his full mock draft 3.0 for the 2026 NFL Draft, pick by pick through the first round, and also predicted AJ Brown would finish top five in the NFL in receiving yards with the Patriots. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/77faa345-d736-4a90-8185-b1b92c789e5a (scored 95.76)

## More roster spot calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Scott Kennedy on Michael Penix Jr.: Kennedy reports that Atlanta is expected to keep three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster: Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., and undrafted rookie Jack Strand. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4271fbfe-2320-41d0-a8f0-000ddbb80076 (scored 100)
- Jeff Cavanaugh on Hunter Luepke: Jeff projected the Cowboys' offensive 53-man roster: nine offensive linemen (with Bass, Shelton, Leverett and Cornelius as the depth pieces and Nate Thomas and Keegan cut), three tight ends, Javonte Williams and Malik Davis atop the backfield, and five receivers with Mingo in and Camden Brown headed to the practice squad. He also gave reception and passing projections and said Jayshawn Barham will be starting before long. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c7f7c9cc-4c5c-4060-a83b-61416816422c (scored 100)
- Jeff Cavanaugh on Jonathan Bullard: Building his projected Cowboys 53-man roster on defense, Jeff keeps five interior linemen (Kenny Clark, Quentin, Tito Obonia, LT Overton, Bullard), six edge rushers including Von Miller, Malachi Lawrence and Marist Liufau while cutting Sam Williams, four linebackers with Jayshawn Barham starting, six corners including rookie Devin Moore, and four safeties including Marquise Bell. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d20c4eda-eab4-4a8c-ba13-0e120fdd7d91 (scored 100)
- Philip Hughes on Caelen Carson: A NFC East news roundup relays that cornerback is Dallas' weakest unit, with Caelen Carson holding on as the last man on the 53-man roster and Cobie Durant slotted in as the Cowboys' second cornerback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d1535c8f-ca43-4d5e-8f83-3a7104937e16 (scored 100)
- Fox Sports on J.J. McCarthy: The FOX Sports report states that the Vikings are expected to keep quarterback J.J. McCarthy on their active roster for the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b907a541-ca75-49be-84dc-6d580dbbf91e (scored 100)
- Noah Strackbein on Daylen Everette: With Joey Porter Jr. activated off PUP, Strackbein expects Asante Samuel Jr. to be the Steelers' top backup cornerback — the first depth player used off the bench — and rookie Daylen Everette to round out the cornerback room entering the regular season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/87ee7f81-ccd0-45f7-84d5-0db7310604c0 (scored 100)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=river-wells