Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will make his NFL debut on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s technically his third start, but the first two were in the preseason. On Sunday, it’s for real.
The No. 2 overall pick had a terrific training camp and preseason. Daniels impressed his coaches, teammates, and those from other teams in Washington’s two joint practices. While no one can predict what happens before the game, the Commanders know Daniels is ready.
How would Daniels describe his emotions ahead of Week 1?
“It is really the same,” Daniels said on Wednesday. “Day by day, be where my feet are. Not really focused on Sunday. I got to get through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and then it’ll be game day.”
Daniels always seemingly says the right thing. That’s the perfect answer, even if you know his emotions are all over the place as he starts his first official NFL game.
Before Daniels met with the media on Wednesday, he and the team received some good news. Fourth-year guard Sam Cosmi received a contract extension, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid guards. Daniels was thrilled for his teammate.
“Man, Sam deserves it,” Daniels said. “Happy for him. Obviously, we heard the news earlier, but he deserves it. It is gonna be, it is good for him and his family. It’s good for us long term to have a player like that, a cornerstone piece moving forward.”
For Sunday’s game, Daniels’s first start will be challenging, as he will face Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles’ defense. The good news for Daniels is that his backup/mentor, Marcus Mariota, is there to assist in every way possible.
“Man, I’m leaning on Marcus a ton,” the rookie said of Mariota. “He is in the same position as me. He played Todd Bowles numerous times, so obviously has a lot of knowledge of this is what you can expect. Obviously, everybody talks about the blitzes. Obviously, we’re gonna expect some type of blitz, but his main message to me is, ‘Man, just go out there and have fun.’ Don’t put too much stress into it.”
Some have questioned why Mariota is even on the team. He only played one series in the preseason and didn’t look great. However, the Commanders brought him in because they knew Mariota would be content as a backup, but he could also offer Daniels a perspective that no other potential veteran backup could give. Both are former Heisman winners and No. 2 overall picks. And, coincidentally enough, Mariota’s first NFL start came against Tampa Bay back in 2015.
How’d he do? Mariota completed 13 of 15 passes for 209 yards, with four touchdowns. Can you imagine if Daniels has a similar performance?