Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that quarterback Jayden Daniels has earned the right to be the first quarterback for the team's preseason opener on Saturday against the New York Jets, according to JP Finlay of NBC 4 Sports.

Dan Quinn said that Jayden Daniels has “surpassed my expectations of the readiness, of the command” of the position, according to John Keim of ESPN. He also said that he's not surprised that Daniels knows the system given how he works, and that teammates gravitate toward him.

It is not a surprise that Daniels is listed as the starter for the Commanders, given that he was selected No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he had extensive experience playing the position in college with Arizona State and LSU.

Daniels comes into the NFL at 23 years old after playing five college seasons, three with Arizona State and two with LSU. Last season, Daniels stormed onto the scene and won the Heisman Trophy with LSU, throwing to weapons like Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. His monster season resulted in him leapfrogging Drake Maye in the NFL Draft, who was viewed by many as close to the caliber of prospect that Caleb Williams was heading into the 2023 college football season. The Commanders and Quinn saw enough from Daniels to select him over Maye with the No. 2 pick, betting on him becoming their franchise quarterback.

Jayden Daniels' outlook for preseason debut with Commanders

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) passes the ball on day three of training camp at Commanders Park.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

It will be interesting to see how Daniels fares in his first preseason game with the Commanders. If the Jets end up playing their starters, Daniels will have a significant test, as New York has one of the more talented defensive units in the NFL.

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Given that Daniels will be playing in the preseason opener, it would be logical to assume that the Commanders will play their other starters on offense, like Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Austin Ekeler and more. It would be wise for Washington to play its starters and put the rookie quarterback in a position to succeed.

It will be interesting to see how much Daniels does play on Saturday, and how much he playes in each of the preseason games. Following Saturday's game against the Jets, the Commanders will play a road game against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, Aug. 17, followed by the preseason finale on Sunday, Aug. 25 at home against the New England Patriots.

After that, Daniels and the Commanders will get ready Week 1 on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 8.