Commanders Training Camp Takeaways: Jayden Daniels Impresses in Every Way

The No. 2 pick in the NFL draft is proving day to day he was ready for the NFL. Plus, how the running backs and offensive line are aiding his development.

Daniels was impressive in his preseason debut against the Jets. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Back on the road at NFL training camp No. 18, and with a lot to see within a totally rebuilt Washington Commanders program. My takeaways …

• It’s hard to take two steps in this place without hearing from someone about how impressed they’ve been with quarterback Jayden Daniels. One thing that’s very consistent is what you hear about how he conducts himself day to day—in short, they see a guy who entered the NFL as a professional in just about every way. And the practice I saw Tuesday backed all of that up, including how smoothly he operated the first team, how calm he looks in the pocket, and the easy gas and accuracy he has on his throws. The coaches have also been impressed with how quickly he’s picked up Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. One example is how fast he’s able to get to run checks within it. Whether they do it tomorrow, or in two weeks, that staff is going to name him the starter, and the offense should work for him in Year 1. The biggest challenge, I think, for the staff will be working with him to avoid taking big hits on his slender frame without taking away what he brings to the table in the run game, something that’s easy on paper but tough to put into practice.

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• One thing that’ll help with Daniels’s development is what the Commanders get from their backs in the run game. Brian Robinson’s been a load for the defense in camp, and head coach Dan Quinn had a feel for that having coached against him. What’s been a bit of a surprise is what he’s shown catching the ball out of the backfield. He should pair well with former Los Angeles Charger Austin Ekeler, who’s shown he still has juice, and should be a souped-up version of what Chase Edmunds was for Kingsbury in Arizona—Edmunds had 96 catches in 28 games over the past two years those two spent together. The hope is the strength there, and with the rebuilt interior of the line (where Nick Allegretti and Tyler Biadasz are joining Sam Cosmi), will give the team a foundation with which to manage and protect Daniels.

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• Quinn’s fingerprints are all over the team’s practices, with competition incorporated into everything, even bag agility drills (those are something to see). And what’s really powered that is the buy-in he’s gotten from the veterans. Jonathan Allen, who became a bit of a malcontent (understandably) the past couple of years, has been a torchbearer for Quinn’s program. Cosmi, Robinson, Daron Payne and Terry McLaurin (and of course Bobby Wagner) have been right there with him. And on the other side of the coin, the entire rookie class has fought for jobs. Second-rounder Mike Sainristil has shown inside-outside versatility as a corner, has pushed to play some offense and looks like he’ll be a team captain early in his career. Third-rounder Brandon Coleman is trending toward starting at tackle. Fifth-rounder Dominique Hampton is adjusting nicely to linebacker, and undrafted free agent Tyler Owens, a long, rangy safety, looks like he’ll make the team, play on special teams, and have a future on defense. Put it all together, and it’s made for a good, (I’ll use this word again) competitive camp.

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• The defensive acquisition that’s stood out is, for sure, Frankie Luvu. He’s not Micah Parsons, but Quinn signed him with the idea that he could be a movable piece in the front seven the way Parsons was for him in Dallas, and Luvu looks capable as a player who’s quick, explosive, and clearly at his best moving toward the line of scrimmage. Jeremy Chinn is another addition that gives Quinn some flexibility in how he lines guys up, and moves them around on that side of the ball.

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• And with that, there’s this—it’s still Year 1, and there’s a lot of work to do on the roster. The Commanders feel really good about where they’re at in the middle of the field. They know they’ve got a little further to go on the perimeter. The receiver spot is good, but at offensive tackle, defensive end and corner there remain questions that’ll probably take another offseason or two to solve. Until then, Quinn and new GM Adam Peters are trying to get the most out of camp competitions at those spots between the guys on hand.