Commanders release QB after Jayden Daniels pick

The Washington Commanders are beginning their Jayden Daniels era after drafting him with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They are starting to make moves for the roster around him, including on the depth chart behind him by releasing Jake Fromm.

The Commanders announced that they released Fromm on Tuesday afternoon. He joined the Commanders’ practice squad in October of 2022 but ended up never appearing in a game, though he was on their active roster at the end of last season. His only NFL snaps came with the New York Giants. He played in three games, including two starts, and threw for 210 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

After also letting go of free agent Jacoby Brissett and trading Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks after his first starting season, Washington is revamping its QB room around its top-tier rookie.

Commanders release backup quarterback Jake Fromm

The Commanders hope that Daniels can be a franchise quarterback for years to come. He brings a dual-threat style of play to the NFL but has questions about how his arm, notably his throwing power, will translate to the professional game. Plus, he has to make sure he protects himself from big hits against the bigger, better NFL competition.

Daniels has a lot to prove in his rookie season. The Commanders aren’t expected to be super competitive but do have a solid supporting cast around him with Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, Jahan Dotson and more. After a Heisman-winning season at LSU, Daniels has to prove he can be a top-notch NFL quarterback.

If Daniels needs more time to develop, Washington will turn to Marcus Mariota. The nine-year veteran was a starter two seasons ago for the Atlanta Falcons but is now a backup bouncing around to various teams.

Mariota will seemingly serve as the primary backup for Daniels in his first season with the Commanders. The team also has rookie Sam Hartman and veteran Jeff Driskel as deeper depth options. While it could bring Fromm back onto the practice squad, it’s clear that the franchise is prioritizing other names for its roster.