ASHBURN, Va. — Training camp takeaway: Jayden Daniels lives with the philosophy of never letting them see you sweat.
The Washington Commanders have yet to officially name a starting quarterback. Veteran Marcus Mariota worked as the first quarterback in position drills, 11-on-11 and seven-on-seven for the third consecutive day. Coach Dan Quinn sees no reason to rush the announcement or process.
“We have an effective plan for him, and Jayden’s the type of guy that wants to go nail it, in terms of each day, each marker to go,” Quinn said before Friday’s practice. “But we’re going to stay true to this.”
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This approach is annoying fans and others who wanted the inevitable answer weeks ago to end the charade of who will be under center for the Week 1 matchup at Tampa Bay, and to genuinely begin the era with the rookie positioned as the franchise’s long-term solution. Mariota is the experienced half of the quarterback battle but not the chosen one.
Friday marked the first time reporters could check in with Daniels during camp. He wore a black tank top and sat in a burgundy folding chair in the open-air media tent. Combined with a chill yet quiet and confident demeanor, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner could be mistaken for a beach dweller taking a break from the sunshine. Nothing behind a steady, wry smile offered signs of stress despite wrapping up practices minutes before and the starter question lingering.
That’s not because he assumes Quinn will declare him Washington’s QB1. The challenge of rising above the fray is where the 23-year-old finds joy.
“I like competing. Regardless of whether I was announced as the starter or not, you still have to compete,” Daniels said earnestly. “You can’t be content with your job or comfortable and think this is your job. You have to go out there and compete. It’s not a problem at all.”
.@JayD__5 right on the money 💸 pic.twitter.com/WUQEhPz7T2
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) July 26, 2024
Considering the growth shown since 2022, when the Arizona State transfer went to LSU, there’s no reason for anxiety. Daniels competed and earned the starting gig with the Tigers before recording one of college football’s most prolific statistical campaigns the following year.
Praise for his work in the team’s offseason program, where the rookie outshined Mariota, came easy for coaches and teammates. Quinn, on Friday, offered a one-word answer for Daniels’ training camp showing: “Outstanding.”
The week’s final practice included a downfield completion to roster hopeful Davion Davis and a necessarily low throw in traffic to Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint at the 2-yard line during an 11-on-11 possession. The dual-threat quarterback deftly faked a handoff and smoothly rushed into the end zone on the next play. Daniels’ speed flashed on an earlier outside run as defenders struggled to keep up. Thursday’s highlights included the rookie delivering a touchdown drive on his final two-minute possession.
“It’s been nice to have a two-minute and red zone (work) because those get highlighted and emphasized so quickly,” Quinn said. “Like I said, he is off to a really good start.”
Some Jayden Daniels at the start of practice. pic.twitter.com/EvaDHGKwsa
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) July 25, 2024
There were off-target throws and teachable moments, of course. Cornerback Michael Davis secured the defense’s first interception in training camp off a low toss by Daniels. Mariota’s best showing over three days occurred Friday despite drops by Brian Robinson Jr. and Jahan Dotson on one drive. Mariota’s penchant for holding the ball at length wasn’t as prominent as previous practices. He found a crossing Dotson over the middle for a catch-and-run touchdown and connected with Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown for chunk plays in between a bevy of misfires.
No Mariota improvement will impede the Daniels plan or sniff the rookie’s lofty ceiling that exists for reasons beyond arm talent and athleticism.
“He’s a competitor,” safety Jeremy Chinn said of Daniels. “That’s the first thing you wanna see in a young quarterback.”
Being one of the guys is another vital component of this leadership position. Second-round cornerback Mike Sainristil interrupted his friend’s news conference by asking Daniels how LSU would have fared last year against Sainristil’s national champion Michigan Wolverines. The quarterback didn’t give an inch, mentioning the Tigers’ potent offensive capabilities in his playful response.
Mike Sainristil joins the Jayden Daniels press conference to ask how LSU would have fared against Michigan last year. pic.twitter.com/llXspuUezV
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) July 26, 2024
There’s no look-at-me bravado with Daniels, “which is great,” right guard Sam Cosmi said. “He could be like that. He’s not. And I think he’s earning respect from a lot of guys around the building.”
Even though Daniels dominates the conversation surrounding the team, such chatter is quieter inside the building.
“It’s funny, we don’t talk about him (in the building) as much as we do (in the media tent),” Quinn said. “He’s part of the team there. … That’s the fun part about being on a team, where everybody’s role and how we all connect and we’re an extension of each other. He is fully embraced in that as well.”
In this and seemingly all other regards, Daniels is entirely on board.
“Not only is he an exceptional talent, he’s an excellent teammate. And in his short time here, he’s already proven that,” Quinn continued. “People recognize that. He’s got the humility and hard work of a rookie, with a little bit of swag of an older guy. And so that’s a pretty nice blend to have.”
The homework continues. “The more reps we get, it’s just gonna make us better,” McLaurin said. “The good thing about it is, he’s extremely communicative, and I am too, so that really helps the relationship grow quicker.”
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Daniels finds time to continue working with the virtual reality program that helped his game rise at LSU. Next month, joint practices with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins will offer a new challenge. It’s the same with three preseason games where he’ll face opposing NFL defenders for the first time. Practicing game scenarios now, including finding the hot route on plays with an empty backfield, becomes pertinent since the quarterback will eventually get hit.
“You don’t want to look one way and get earholed and blindsided by a free runner. That’s no fun. So (the coaches) do a great job of putting us in a position to go out there and succeed, giving the answers to the test,” Daniels said. “We just got to go out there and do it.”
That’s what the eventual face of the franchise is doing daily in training camp, whether he’s named the starter now or later.
Notes
• Quinn said slender second-year cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. added 15 pounds since last year. Forbes later corrected the increase to 17. That doesn’t clarify his current weight. The 2023 first-round pick weighed 166 pounds at that year’s scouting combine and was listed at 173 on Washington’s roster. Official heights and weights come before the regular season.
• Right tackle Andrew Wylie sat out several drives in the latter stages of practice. He watched the action from the sideline and later said he was fine. Third-round pick Brandon Coleman joined the starters.
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• Two undrafted rookie defensive backs, cornerback Chigozie Anusiem and safety Tyler Owens, were non-participants in Friday’s practice. Anusiem, a 6-foot-1 physical defender from Colorado State, received a significant signing bonus ($50,000) and guaranteed salary ($300,000) from Washington.
• The Commanders remain patient with establishing a kicker competition for Ramiz Ahmed, the free agent signed following the June release of Brandon McManus. The pool of options remains thin since many teams have multiple kickers in camp. That might not change until later in the preseason. Quinn said those games will be essential for field goals and seeing kickers adjust to the new kickoff rules.
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
