Will Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Have 'Similar Impact' to Texans' C.J. Stroud?

The Washington Commanders rookie quarterback is drawing strong comparisons heading into the new NFL season.

Nov 11, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels during pregame against the Florida Gators at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders should strive to have a similar rebuild to the Houston Texans. The Texans posted a 3-13 record two seasons ago before turning things around and going 10-7 in the very next season. First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie star quarterback C.J. Stroud played key roles in doing so.

So far, the Commanders have a fresh coaching staff and potential star rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels. They took it a step further, having new ownership and a new general manager as well. All-in-all, the Commanders could have an accelerated rebuild, similar to the Texans.

One of the moving factors for the Commanders to find first-year success like the Texans is Daniels being able to put up a similar season to Stroud's rookie year.

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Former NFL player and current analyst Bucky Brooks was on NFL Total Access where he was asked about Daniels and the potential of him hitting the ground running like Stroud or other instant-impact rookies.

“Absolutely, and I would expect it to be a very similar impact,” Brooks said. "The reason why is (Washington OC) Kliff Kingsbury has done this before with a young quarterback. Look no further than the work he did with Kyler Murray when Kyler Murray came out of Oklahoma. Right away, Kyler Murray hits the ground running and wins the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, has over 3,500 passing yards, 500 rushing yards and 24 total TDs. I would expect to see that type of production and performance from Jayden Daniels."

Kingsbury is going to have to maximize Daniels' production in year one as a dual-threat quarterback. He's going to be a big-time player, making explosive plays with both his legs and arm -- but making sure he can do so consistently and limiting turnover-worthy plays will be just as important.

"When you look at Jayden Daniels, he is an elite prospect when it comes to his arm talent and his athleticism," Brooks continued. "He can put it together whether he is working on the script, or off the script. You look at the talent surrounding him: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, also with Austin Ekeler coming over to give them a threat out of the backfield with Zach Ertz.”

The Commanders are returning the least amount of talent from a season ago. They're staring at an opportunity to be an entirely new team this year. Strong play from Daniels and the weapons around him will be important, and if he can have a rookie season like Stroud, Washington could lobby for a playoff spot late in the season.

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