Commanders' latest decision regarding QB Jayden Daniels could be seen coming from a mile away

The Washington Commanders still have one game left on their preseason slate, welcoming the New England Patriots to town to close out their set of exhibition contests .

And while the role of starters on Sunday night is up in the air, the question of who will be starting QB no longer is.

QB #1 All Along

"We knew we would get here, but we were just excited to see how we would," HC Dan Quinn told reporters after naming Daniels the starter on Monday. "So, seeing him hit all the spots, this is a rare competitor."

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that when you draft someone second overall at the QB position, and the only other QB on your roster with starting experience is Marcus Mariota, that this was Daniels' job all along.

But, you never know how players are going to look until they actually get on the field, even if the preseason is often a facade. Daniels really started turning heads before the first preseason game against the New York Jets.

Sure his exposure was a little limited, but he still made the most of his reps, including a phenomenal throw to Dyami Brown . It was during the week of practice between the Commanders and Jets that you could see his potential.

"I just told him [Jayden Daniels] like, 'Man, you're gonna be real good,'" said Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner following a joint practice . "It was great to just be able to line up against him. As a corner, you wanna go against a rookie quarterback, but he's one of those guys like he's developed obviously...but he had some great throws out there."

It's still early, and we know the NFL world is often prone to overreaction, but if players, coaches, and scouting staff that are currently in the league make such confident statements, you're on the right path.

Daniels' mental approach only emphasizes that confidence.

"Everything in life you've got to earn it. Nothing's given," Daniels said Monday after the announcement. "What DQ and them preach here is competition, and you gotta earn your right to stay. You gotta earn your right on the field and at the position. To be able to go out there and compete, it makes everybody better. What they preach, they hold true to that."

A new era of Washington football is officially here.

Related: How to watch and stream the final Commanders-Patriots preseason game on Sunday night