The second overall pick of the 2024 draft is poised to experience his initial NFL action this week.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will play in Washington’s preseason opener this Saturday versus the New York Jets, head coach Dan Quinn told reporters Sunday.
Quinn stated on Sunday, “We’ve consistently mentioned that there’s been an ongoing process. It’s never been a secret, but rather a strategy for preparing our players. The games are crucial for everyone, not just Jayden, to play and prepare.”
Though Quinn’s reveal was not much of a surprise, he did not specify whether Daniels would begin the game or the duration of his expected play.
The 23-year-old has been sharing starting reps throughout training camp with veteran Marcus Mariota, and their preseason performances might very well be the determining factor in who wins the starting job, based on what Quinn said to begin training camp on July 23.
Later in the day, Daniels conveyed to reporters his excitement about playing in the preseason opener to assess the current situation.
“He said, ‘Stepping into unfamiliar territory will pose a unique challenge, not just for me, but for the entire team. We’re facing an unknown adversary. We’ll go out there, fully aware that we may make mistakes. Our aim is to perform at our best, but this is the time to test our abilities, to discover our strengths and weaknesses. It’s a process of trial and error and then learning from it and moving forward.”
Daniels has seemingly been ready to start from the jump and comes in with plenty of playing experience having started 55 games in five college seasons (12,750 passing yards, 89 touchdowns). He burst onto the scene during his final college season, winning the Heisman Trophy and showing tremendous capability as a dual-threat quarterback, which led Washington to select the LSU product at No. 2 overall.
Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, didn’t play in last Thursday’s Hall of Fame game, but that wasn’t a shocker considering the Bears were scheduled with one more preseason games compared to 30 other squads.
Assessing the Washington offense’s understanding of a new scheme may drive Quinn to utilize other key players on offense as rival quarterbacks take charge. However, given the Commanders’ hopes of having secured a franchise QB at last, it’s clear who will be garnering all the attention.
Commanders-Jets is set to kick off at 12 p.m. ET this Saturday at MetLife Stadium.
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