To little surprise, Jayden Daniels will begin his career atop the quarterback depth chart. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed on Monday the second overall pick will serve as the team’s starter for Week 1, via Kevin Patra of the NFL's website.
Washington added veteran Marcus Mariota in free agency as an experienced option capable of serving as a bridge starter if needed. Once Daniels’ name was called on Day 1 of the draft, though, it was clear he would take on first-team duties sooner rather than later. A June report noted Daniels was the favorite to get the nod ahead of training camp and the preseason.
This summer, the Arizona State and LSU product has impressed Quinn and the coaching staff. After a strong outing against the Dolphins this weekend, a commitment has been made with plenty of time remaining before Daniels’ rookie season kicks off. His ability to translate last season’s success to the NFL level will be a central storyline for the Commanders in 2024 and beyond as they aim to rebuild around his dual-threat skillset.
Daniels transferred to the Tigers ahead of the 2022 campaign, one in which he saw notable development in his completion percentage while adding a strong touchdown-to-interception ratio. He took another step forward this past season, posting 3,812 yards at a 72.2% accuracy rate, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions. He added 1,134 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
Those figures won him the Heisman Trophy and confirmed his status as one of the top signal-callers in the 2024 class. Caleb Williams only took one visit – with the Bears – during the pre-draft process, confirming well in advance he would be headed to Chicago. That left the Commanders with a decision to make between Daniels and Drake Maye as a quarterback of the future. Their decision to select the 23-year-old will be tested right away in 2024.
With Quinn and a new staff (including offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury) in place, along with Adam Peters now serving as general manager to lead a revamped front office, improvement in Year 2 of Josh Harris‘ ownership tenure will be expected for Washington. A bevy of free-agent signings will play roles in determining the team’s success on that front, but so too will many members of the 2024 draft class. Daniels heads that group, and he will be entrusted with handling first-team responsibilities right away.
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