The Washington Commanders took LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick of the NFL Draft in April and are hoping he will put an end to their perennial suffering under center. New head coach Dan Quinn hasn't handed Daniels the starting job just yet, but he is already enamored with the youngster.
“He's got a swagger to him,” coach Dan Quinn said, via John Keim of ESPN. “He really has a very firm handle on the things that we're doing, but he also has the humility of a young player … knowing that he has a lot to prove.”
Daniels has not looked overwhelmed or bewildered throughout any of the Commanders' offseason workouts, Keim notes. His work ethic has already been on full display, as he has been showing up at 5:45 a.m. every day to watch film and his own walk-through session.
The 23-year-old has also looked “sharp” in his throws and progressions, per Keim.
Daniels is coming off of a fantastic 2023 campaign in which he threw for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 72.2 percent of his passes. In addition, he rushed for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging an absurd 8.4 yards per carry. He won the Heisman Trophy for his efforts.
We'll see what type of debut campaign Daniels will have in DC.
Can Jayden Daniels be the future for the Commanders?
Washington has been in search of a franchise quarterback for decades and has been unable to find a solution.
The Commanders thought they had found their answer with Robert Griffin III in the 2012, but a knee injury destroyed his career. Then, Washington had Kirk Cousins under center, but watched him walk to the Minnesota Vikings in free agency in March 2018.
As a result of the Commanders' struggles at signal-caller, they have made just six playoff appearances since 1993 and have won just one playoff game throughout that span, with the lone win coming in January 2006.
Is Daniels finally what Washington has been searching for?
The jury is obviously still out, as Daniels is just a rookie. However, it's hard to not like what he brings to the table, both from a talent and a leadership perspective. That being said, it isn't all about Daniels, either. He needs help, and the Commanders' issues have extended being the quarterback position over the years.
Washington had a horrendous offensive line in 2023, for example, and it didn't get much better this offseason. In term of weapons, the Commanders do have Terry McLaurin, who is a proven No. 1 wide receiver. Beyond him, however, Washington lacks serious depth. Jahan Dotson could have a big year, but he has actually been a disappointment thus far. The Commanders did add running back Austin Ekeler in free agency, but he is aging and his production fell off a cliff with the Los Angeles Chargers last season.
On top of that, Washington is terrible defensively, as it ranked dead last in that category last season.
The Commanders lost nine straight games to finish 4-13 in 2023 for a reason. They are a very flawed football team, but if Daniels can step in and provide some hope early on, it could go a long way in turning things around in the nation's capital.
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