Insider shares why Commanders haven't named Jayden Daniels their starting QB

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn raised some eyebrows when he said at the end of the club's mandatory minicamp last week that he wasn't yet ready to name rookie Jayden Daniels his starting quarterback over veteran Marcus Mariota.

For a piece published on Monday, John Keim of ESPN shared what Quinn and Co. want to see from Daniels during training camp and the preseason.

"There is much more to learn and more situations for Daniels to endure," Keim explained. "He still must face defenses designed to fool him; he still must prove he can consistently make the necessary tight-window throws, particularly in the red zone. And how will he handle an NFL pass rush once the pads go on?"

Daniels acknowledged ahead of the weekend that he isn't "a star quarterback yet," but he received widespread praise throughout the spring from teammates such as wide receiver Terry McLaurin for a work ethic that included the first-year pro arriving at the team facility at around 5:45 a.m. on practice days. 

The second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft also produced some highlight-reel moments from organized team activities through minicamp.

"The defense tried to confuse him with pre-snap movement," Keim said about one of Daniels' brighter practice moments. "Daniels paused, signaled to players on both sides of the formation; used a hard count to get the defense to reveal its intentions -- one coach called it a veteran move -- took the snap and connected with tight end Ben Sinnott on a quick hitch against a blitz."

Of course, Daniels is far from a finished product. Keim noted how the 23-year-old also "missed on multiple passes as the pocket tightened" during a hurry-up series last week. 

Daniels will look to improve such aspects of his game while working out with his quarterback coaches and, ideally, with some Washington offensive players in Southern California before training camp.

As of late Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Commanders' over/under win total for the upcoming season at 6.5. 

Such forecasts show why Quinn may not be in a hurry to force Daniels into the starting lineup for Washington's regular-season opener at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 8.

"He's a student of [the game]," Washington quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard recently said about Daniels. "...He just loves it. He loves talking about it, loves watching it, loves playing it, loves practicing it."

That love helping Daniels become a fast learner could put him on track to face Tampa Bay on the second Sunday of September.