The Washington Commanders have a plan for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. It all began before he was drafted. New head coach Dan Quinn built an offensive staff with four former quarterbacks.
After Washington selected Daniels second overall in the 2024 NFL draft, the team didn’t put him out in front of fans to sell tickets. The previous regime would have done things quite differently. Quinn’s motto since arriving this year has been about competition, even when it’s obvious that Daniels will be Washington’s starting quarterback.
When Quinn spoke to reporters this week, he was asked about when he would name Daniels the starter. Quinn’s response:
“So, as we are going, when he is ready, we’ll know,” Quinn said. “When he’s ready, he’ll also know.”
Some of it is about making Daniels earn it, and some of it is about not applying too much pressure on Daniels before he ever takes a snap.
Daniels met with the media on Friday, and he was asked if it bothered him that he hadn’t yet been named the starter.
“No, I like competing; I’m a competitor,” Daniels answered. “So, regardless of if I was announced the starter or not, you still got to compete. You still can’t be content with your job, comfortable, think it’s just your job, and seal the deal. You got to go out there and compete.”
That’s the perfect answer from Daniels. You couldn’t script it any better. Since arriving in Washington, Daniels has handled everything perfectly. On the field during practice, he’s often seen asking veteran teammates questions, such as leaders like Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz. That goes a long way in earning the respect of his teammates — young and old.