Almost every decision an NFL team takes has the potential to significantly effect the organization’s future. However, choosing a quarterback might be ‘franchise-altering’ — for better or ill.
This is a fact that Washington’s commanders are fully aware of. Entering the 2024 season, the franchise had not had any consistency, let alone any flashes of promise, under centre.
The Commanders have seen long-term investments Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins fail to deliver postseason success, and they have recently cycled through journeyman quarterbacks Case Keenum, Taylor Heinicke, and Carson Wentz. So when Jayden Daniels arrived in the United States capital and breathed new life into a stale franchise, fans cheered.
Daniels, who was selected second overall in the 2024 Draft, has helped transform the Washington offence into one of the most dynamic in the NFL despite just appearing in a few games. The club appears reenergised under head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, both of whom were promoted in the summer.
Despite a three-game losing streak, the Commanders are 8-5 this season, despite some preseason predictions that they would be one of the league’s worst teams after finishing 4-13 last year.
Daniels appears unconcerned about his transition from college to the pros.
“It would be easy to imagine getting your confidence thrown because it is a jump of a level,” says Ben Standig, Commanders writer for The Athletic, to CNN Sport. “We haven’t seen any of these concerns since they started practicing in the spring. He’s the one they talk about who arrives around 4:30 or 5 a.m. before the vets.
“He’s very relatable to the guys in the locker room.” He doesn’t come out as a diva or anything like that. He’s a teammate, and I suppose a friend to some extent. On the pitch, he appears unfazed. Week after week, you’ve only seen the improvement.”
A new type of quarterback.
Coming into the draft, Daniels was praised for his dual-threat ability, which allows him to be a threat both as a rusher and in the air.
During his 2023 Heisman-winning season, he accumulated 1,134 of his NCAA-leading 4,946 total yards on the ground. He is the only athlete in FBS history to have 12,000 yards throwing and 3,000 yards rushing in their college career.
Though Daniels is a talented runner, rushing is no longer a unique attribute. Modern quarterbacks such as Michael Vick, Russell Wilson, and Cam Newton have redefined the position, demonstrating that it requires more than just pocket passing. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are leading a trend of signal-callers frequently using their legs to produce plays.
It has become a leaguewide requirement for quarterbacks to be above-average athletes in order for their teams to thrive, yet Daniels continues to stand out.
“It just seems like he just has such a good feel for what is happening around him that allows him to make these plays,” Standig told ESPN. “I think it’s probably almost, maybe more that he’s able to combine the cerebral with the athletic that gives him so much capability out there.”
QBs who excel at rushing might frequently appear inexperienced in the passing game, but Standig claims Daniels had that sorted out before entering the NFL.
“He’s a passer more than he is a runner, and he looks for his guys downfield and eventually finds them,” he told me. “He’s also incredibly accurate with the ball, so he is able to keep his focus on the play itself but still has the ability to take off and run when he needs to, and that’s what puts so much pressure on the defence.”
Daniels is fourth among starting quarterbacks in completion percentage and in the top ten in yards per attempt, demonstrating his accuracy and ability to make big plays downfield. He has also kept turnovers to a minimum, tossing only six interceptions through his first 13 games and lost zero fumbles.
Perhaps one of the secrets to Daniels’ early success was his unorthodox training regimen. To prepare for games, he uses a virtual reality system that simulates every aspect of a live game, from the impending pass rush to the position of the play clock in opposing team stadiums. He started using the system while at LSU.
It has become a leaguewide requirement for quarterbacks to be above-average athletes in order for their teams to thrive, yet Daniels continues to stand out.
“It just seems like he just has such a good feel for what is happening around him that allows him to make these plays,” Standig told ESPN. “I think it’s probably almost, maybe more that he’s able to combine the cerebral with the athletic that gives him so much capability out there.”
QBs who excel at rushing might frequently appear inexperienced in the passing game, but Standig claims Daniels had that sorted out before entering the NFL.
“He’s a passer more than he is a runner, and he looks for his guys downfield and eventually finds them,” he told me. “He’s also incredibly accurate with the ball, so he is able to keep his focus on the play itself but still has the ability to take off and run when he needs to, and that’s what puts so much pressure on the defence.”
Daniels is fourth among starting quarterbacks in completion percentage and in the top ten in yards per attempt, demonstrating his accuracy and ability to make big plays downfield. He has also kept turnovers to a minimum, tossing only six interceptions in his first 13 games and losing no fumbles.
Perhaps one of the secrets to Daniels’ early success was his unorthodox training regimen. To prepare for games, he uses a virtual reality system that simulates every aspect of a live game, from the impending pass rush to the position of the play clock in opposing team stadiums. He started using the system while at LSU.
After lighting up the league in the first half of the season, the Commanders have returned to Earth significantly, dropping three games in a row between Weeks 10 and 12. With the Philadelphia Eagles having already clinched the NFC East title, Washington is under pressure to maintain its hot start and win as many games as possible to claim a wild card spot.
The Commanders will need their potential franchise quarterback to be at his explosive best, but most importantly, he must be healthy.
During his college years, Daniels was known for scrambling out of the pocket and utilising his rushing abilities, exposing himself to massive blows in the open field from defenders. Daniels’ somewhat lightweight build — he’s officially listed at 210 pounds — raised worries about his durability prior to the draft.
The 23-year-old sustained a rib injury in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers, which hindered him against the Bears the following week. Daniels’ most valuable skill right now is his availability.
He will also need to avoid the feared ‘rookie wall.’ Players that show potential in their first season frequently lose steam near the end of the season. For example, Daniels’ completion % and QB rating have dropped since his unprecedented red-hot start, which was to be expected.
Regardless of how the season ends, Washington’s culture has already begun to shift.
“This was the first year that the new ownership group could really put their stamp on things,” Standig said. “It absolutely makes people who have been hiding and ceased their fandom and went into caves creep out, and they’re like, ‘Is it okay to come back out? Can I actually believe this?
“The players who have been here for a few years appear as bewildered as the rest of us.
‘Wait, what’s going on? This is odd. We’re winning and having fun.
“We don’t look silly.”
It would be unjust to the coaching staff and the rest of the offence to blame Daniels alone for the franchise’s quick turnaround, but the young signal-caller is at the forefront of a change in Washington, announcing a new beginning only a few games into his NFL career.
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