The start of their rookie season has been a struggle for the top quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL Draft. Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback J.J. McCarthy was lost for the year with a knee injury before the regular season even started. Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Michael Penix is a backup to Kirk Cousins, as is New England Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye to Jacoby Brissett.
Of the quarterbacks who managed to secure starting jobs to start the season, Washington Commanders’ quarterback Jayden Daniels has been the top performer – though that hasn’t necessarily been a high bar to clear through the first two weeks of the year. Daniels’ play hasn’t been stellar, but he’s shown the play-making ability and creativity outside the pocket that made him the #2 pick. The future in Washington is going to be about surrounding Daniels with talented playmakers on the outside, and making sure he’s protected up front.
With that in mind, the Bleacher Report scouting department has linked the Commanders to current Jacksonville Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson in next year’s free agency period. Washington is likely holding out hope that third-round pick Brandon Coleman is their left tackle of the future, but Robinson may be the better option for the immediate future to ensure that Daniels can continue to progress at quarterback.
Robinson has never been a great run blocker at the tackle spot, which may put a damper on the Commanders’ rushing attack, but he’s always been a solid pass blocker. Robinson has earned a pass blocking grade of at least the mid-70s from PFF in every season since 2021, and he is still just 29 years old.
While the move for Robinson doesn’t do anything to help improve the skill positions around Daniels, it could be an important move in keeping Daniels upright in the pocket as he continues to develop his skills as a dual-threat quarterback and gets more proficient from the pocket. Signing a tackle in free agency would also free up the Commanders to spend their draft capital on a young talent to pair with Daniels and develop alongside for the future.
