With all the eyes on Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, he impressed during Thursday's joint practice with the Miami Dolphins. According to Dolphins beat reporter David Furones of The Sun Sentinel, Daniels threw “five touchdowns” against the opponent's defense which is no doubt an eye-opening development from the joint practice.

“Commanders QB Jayden Daniels lights up Dolphins defense in red zone drill,” Furones wrote on his X, formerly Twitter, account. “He throws five touchdowns, including two to Terry McLaurin, beating Kendall Fuller once and then Kader Kohou later.”

There are a couple of aspects why this should be exciting for any Commanders fan as Daniels is on the path to be the face of the franchise and hopes to bring the team back to relevance by being a superstar quarterback. While playing exceptionally well in practice is vital for his development, this is also in preparation for the preseason matchup against the Dolphins set for Saturday night in Miami.

Jayden Daniels building connection with Terry McLaurin on Commanders

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks on during joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at Baptist Health Training Complex.
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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Another component is that Daniels seems to be developing the rapport between himself and Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin who has long been an underrated player as the quarterback play has been inconsistent to say the least. Turning 29-years old in September, McLaurin is looking to record 1,000 or more receiving yards for the fifth straight season in 2024 with Daniels under center.

Daniels looks to also face the pressure head on as he was selected with the second overall pick coming out of LSU where he won the Heisman Trophy throwing for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, and four picks. Besides his throwing ability, he is electric on the ground rushing for 1,134 yards to go along with 10 scores as Washington is hoping he can take that talent from the Tigers and bring it to them.

In a small sample space, Daniels played in the preseason opening loss to the New York Jets, 20-17, where he only completed two passes out of three attempts for 45 yards. Daniels and the Commanders will prepare for Week 1 and the regular season opener where they will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road on Sunday, Sept. 8.