May progress to gripping ball next week

Head coach Todd Bowles said Friday that Mayfield (thumb) is now in a smaller splint, and the Bucs will see if he can progress to gripping the football next week, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Bowles admitted the "plan" is for Jalon Daniels to start next Sunday against the Steelers after the rookie quarterback helped lead the Bucs to their first victory in a stunning upset of the Cowboys on Thursday night. Mayfield has missed two games and was initially given a recovery timetable of 3-to-6 weeks, so he appears to be progressing normally with his dislocated thumb.