Commanders' Jayden Daniels Emerging as Franchise QB

Jayden Daniels has looked the part for the Washington Commanders starting quarterback.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 19, 2024

Sep 15, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs down the field in the first half against the New York Giants at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Luke Johnson-Imagn Images / Luke Johnson-Imagn Images

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Washington Commanders

It's only been two games but there's reason to be impressed with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick from this year's draft, has a win under his belt and the best eye test so far out of the rookies.

Sports Illustrated writer Matt Verderame ranked all the quarterbacks through two weeks, and Daniels came in at No. 20.

"Of all the rookie quarterbacks playing, Daniels has, by far, been the best. The No. 2 pick is sixth in adjusted EPA per play (0.221) and first in expected completion rate (73.4%). Washington has a long way to go to contention, but Daniels looks like an answer in the early going," Verderame writes.

There's still a lot of football to be played, which could suggest that Daniels' play through two weeks is a flash in the pan. But it could also mean that he has so much more room to grow.

Daniels struggled in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he still found ways to make plays. He also struggled in the red zone in Week 2 against the New York Giants, but he still found a way to lead seven scoring drives, which not too many quarterbacks in the NFL can do, especially in their second career start.

Daniels will have a chance to showcase even more growth this week against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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Published Sep 19, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.