Commanders HC Says Jayden Daniels Has a ‘Firm Handle’ on Team’s Offense

Jayden Daniels is fresh off a Heisman Trophy campaign at LSU, and it appears that momentum is carrying over into rookie camp with the Washington Commanders.

New head coach Dan Quinn couldn’t contain his excitement while talking about the former Tigers signal caller with ESPN’s John Keim, saying that Daniels has a mentality that can’t be taught:

Hope is high in the nation’s capital after the Commanders drafted their first first-round quarterback since Robert Griffin III in 2012 (also at No. 2 overall). If Daniels’ work ethic translates to immediate on-field production, the Commanders could be a dark horse in the NFC Wild Card race as soon as next season.

However, despite his high praise for the rookie QB, Quinn has refused to make any declarations about who will be QB1 in Washington next season. Thus far in spring practices, Daniels has split first-team reps with veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota.

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The rookie has worked exclusively with the first-team offense since being drafted

Quinn was sure to note that Daniels has attended every film session and walk-through the Commanders have held this offseason, praising the young quarterback’s dedication to getting his work done.

Right now, it appears that Quinn’s refusal to name the LSU product as the team’s starter is more public posturing than a sincere competition, as Mariota spent last season as the backup to Jalen Hurts and hasn’t taken any starts since a middling 13-game tenure with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022. Before then, Mariota last started six games for the Tennessee Titans in 2019.

Despite splitting first-team reps with Mariota, it’s telling that Daniels hasn’t practiced a single snap with anyone but the first-team offense.

It remains possible that the Commanders will give Mariota the first crack at starting in 2024 while letting Daniels “mature” on the bench, but the leash will be very short for the veteran in that scenario. The moment he or Washington’s offense begins to struggle, calls for Daniels from the fans would become raucous.

Like Mariota, Daniels is known for his dual-threat ability. His 11.7 yards per passing attempt were first in the nation by a country mile (1.0 yards ahead of second place Jason Bean of Kansas University), and he’s also a brilliant scrambler, as evidenced by his gargantuan 8.4 yards per carry last season.

Despite past inconsistencies, Daniels’ proclivity for rapid improvement portends a strong showing from the dual-threat signal caller in his rookie season. If he can build on his Heisman-winning campaign from his final collegiate season, there’s no reason the 23-year-old can’t be in the running for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Growing pains are to be expected, of course, but Daniels may contain the rare mix of intangibles and raw talent that only the best quarterbacks in the world have. If his immediate rapport with his top receivers is any evidence, Daniels is quickly becoming a beloved figure, both inside and outside the Commanders’ building.

Source: John Keim

All stats are courtesy of Sports Reference unless stated otherwise.

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