What do NFL analysts think about the Commanders’ offense and Jayden Daniels?
SI’s Albert Breer had a lot to say to guest host on the
Rich Eisen Show,” Tuesday.
Breer: “The Commanders are starting from ground zero so I think a big part of making him (Jayden Daniels) win the job is you want to make everyone win their job, especially when you are telling Bobby Wagner, Jonathan Allen or Terry McLaurin that every position is open. You’re trying to preach competition, so I think everyone here (Ashburn) knows the score. He’s taking all of the first-team reps, operating as the first-team starter would.”
“I think because of the offense they are going to run here, he has a real chance to hit the ground running as a rookie.”
Siciliano: “Is there any concern that this offense (pause) I just hope they protect him…for Jaden Daniels to make sure that he doesn’t get beat up?”
Breer: “This is a guy who did take a lot of big hits in college, and this is a guy who is not built like Cam Newton.”
“They have issues at tackle, so they are going to have to take care of how they protect, and they are going to want to take advantage of who he is as a runner. So, if you are going to do that, you got to teach him, ingrain in him the importance of sometimes you can be in second-and-6, you don’t need to get to second-and-2…You don’t always have to put your head down and grind out the extra couple of yards.”
“The other way they are going to manage this is through the run game. It’s more difficult to get to the quarterback if you are effective at running the ball. They feel they have a couple of good backs in Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler, who has been fantastic. He does look like he has some juice left coming over from the Chargers.”
So, I’d say it’s Jaden being cognizant that he can’t take hits the way he did in college, leaning on the run game which will naturally slow the pass rush, and managing your offensive line issue in a certain way. I think Kliff (Kingsbury) is smart enough to coach around his personnel. I think they are well aware of their tackle issue, being what it is. There are going to be times they are going to have to do that (max protect) a bit more often in 2024.”