The Washington Commanders released their first depth chart ahead of their preseason opener this Saturday against the New York Jets, and they aren't leaving the training wheels on rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Heisman Trophy winner beat out veteran free agent signing Marcus Mariota to be the top quarterback on the depth chart. The Commanders are putting a ton of faith into the rookie early on, but Washington doesn't just expect Daniels to be a fine starter - they need him to be great.
When Daniels takes the first snap of the Commanders' season in Week 1, it will mark the eighth straight season of having a different signal caller under center for the Commanders to open the season. From Kirk Cousins, to Alex Smith, to Ryan Fitzpatrick to Sam Howell, the Commanders have been through the ringer when it comes to their desperate search for a franchise quarterback. They took Daniels at No. 2 overall, forgoing Drake Maye in favor of the LSU product, because they believe he can be the guy under center for the long-term future. And for that, they better hope he is. Especially if Maye turns out to be a star.
The Commanders will have high expectations for Daniels, and those expectations will need to be met in his first two-to-three seasons as a starter. In today's NFL, there is no sitting, waiting, and being patient. Not when C.J. Stroud looks like an MVP candidate in Year One. Not when Jordan Love becomes the highest paid quarterback in history after one year as a starter. Daniels is officially on the clock, and he had better make the most of it and show Washington they made the right choice.
