The Most Anticipated Game for Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels

We won't have to wait long to see Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels play in his most highly anticipated game of the year.

Apr 24, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels reacts at the Play Football / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The much-anticipated debut of one of the most athletically skilled QBs from the 2024 draft is a ways away. The Washington Commanders selected former LSU Tiger and Heisman-winning QB Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in April's draft and the expectation is that he will be the team's starter come their opening matchup in Tampa Bay against the Buccaneers on September 8th.

Several games can be the most anticipated for Daniels in his first season, but according to Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, that week one matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the one that rises above them all.

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"We’re coming out of the gate hot with Daniels," Sikkema writes. "The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick in the draft has a lot of hype behind him. It really feels like the Washington fan base is ready to explode with excitement at the slightest sign of competitiveness with Daniels at quarterback.

"Daniels will travel to Tampa to play in the September heat, a challenge of its own. But I am excited to see what the first game of the Daniels-Kliff Kingsbury offense looks like, especially against the seasoned defensive mind of Todd Bowles."

The hype has already begun in Washington surrounding Daniels after the clips we have seen thus far through rookie minicamp and the start of OTAs. Daniels has shown why he was viewed as one of the top QBs in his draft class, and now, here in a few months, the rookie QB will get his chance to put on in an actual NFL game that has meaning.

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Heading on the road to take on a Tampa Bay team to open up the season will be a tough challenge, especially considering the Bucs were a playoff team last season and brought back the majority of that team. If Daniels can somehow manage to light the field up and come away with a victory then Sikkema will 100% be right as the NFL will undoubtedly overreact to his first game.

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

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