Jayden Daniels ready to embrace key role with Commanders

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — It might be an issue to some that Dan Quinn has yet to publicly name Jayden Daniels as the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback.

Just don’t include Daniels among that group.

The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 pick in the NFL draft feels good about where he is as he continues to learn a new system. The fact that he’s yet to be anointed the starter less than a week into training camp is the least of his concerns.

“For me it’s not a problem at all,” Daniels said about his status after practice on Friday. “I’m a competitor, so regardless of if I was announced the starter or not, you still got to compete. You can’t be content with your job and be comfortable. I like competing.”

Daniels continued to take snaps during individual and team drills at practice alongside veterans Marcus Mariota, Jeff Driskel and undrafted rookie Sam Hartman. Daniels and Mariota continue to share the work with the first-team offense.

“That’s up to (Quinn and general manager Adam Peters) for their decision,” Daniels said. “For me, I can control how I go out there and practice, how I compete.”

In fact it was only two summers ago that Daniels found himself in the same uncertain spot after transferring out of Arizona State to SEC powerhouse LSU.

Daniels won that job. The rest is history.

As for the present day, Quinn joked a bit with reporters about the amount of questions he has fielded concerning Daniels but the former Atlanta Falcons coach and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator did offer an early assessment of his prized rookie.

“We’re really going to stay true to this; we have a really good plan,” Quinn said about Washington’s strategy with bringing along Daniels during camp.

“He’s really doing a good job but with the team we’re going into our third day. He’s doing outstanding, and we’re really pleased where we’re at but we’re not changing timelines or guidelines.”

Of course being selected so high in the draft by a downtrodden Washington franchise, which has seen a revolving door at the position for years, comes with lofty expectations.

Like it or not, Daniels is already the face of the franchise. A walk past a temporary team store just to the side of practice prominently features his No. 5 jersey.

Daniels understands and acknowledges the role of a QB and is ready for everything that comes with it.

“I’ll just say for me I’m ready to embrace the teammates, the fanbase, everything that just comes with playing quarterback,” Daniels said.

“You have to be able to embrace everything that comes with it, the good, the bad. For me it’s how can I prepare myself mentally, physically and emotionally to go out there and compete every day on the practice field and then help out when it comes to game time if my name is called.”

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