Jayden Daniels saw the left side collapsing. The Washington Commanders' rookie quarterback slipped to his right and threw a dart across his body to a tight end. Another successful escape.
The Commanders didn’t draft Daniels second overall for his agility. That gets passers hurt too often in the NFL. Instead, Washington wanted Daniels for his arm and leadership. Both have looked solid during offseason camps. But, there’s nothing wrong with a passer who escapes trouble, especially with uncertainty at left tackle.
“I'd say, at times getting out of a bad play [is Daniels’ strength],” coach Dan Quinn said. “You know, here comes a blitz to this side, get to the check, get to something else. Knowing where to go with the correct read.
“At the end of it, it's just having command, honestly. Whether it's in the huddle or at the line of scrimmage. The nice part, what you do see, this is a guy that has had a lot of starts and a lot of experience. That showed up early for when he first started here. And it continues right now."
Equally important is Daniels’ grasp of the offense from the start, showing hand signals to receivers even on the first day of rookie camp. The ball doesn’t hit the ground too often during Daniels’ reps because he knows where targets lie even when not seeing them across the middle.
Daniels is remindful of Robert Griffin in 2012 in many ways. Both Heisman Trophy winners offer elusiveness, but more so show playbook knowledge and leadership. Daniels has impressed veterans with his work ethic, huddle presence and multiple capabilities.
Those things aren’t a given. Some passers have one or two traits, but rarely three.
“I think what is important for Jayden and some of the young guys especially coming in as the reps are happening, how are you doing in the execution of those,” Quinn said. “Whether that is playing quarterback or tackle or nickel or safety. The expectation is just to see how familiar he is with the concepts and making sure ‘OK, this one we want to keep, this one we don’t’ in terms of things he has the most comfort with. In this case, just running the system now. At the line of scrimmage some, we huddle some, so we put in a big package now it is about execution.
Veterans rarely follow rookies quickly. The latter must earn it. When quarterback Heath Shuler arrived at training camp 13 days late in 1993, the holdout was taped to the goalpost following the first practice. Shuler’s interceptions in practice finally caused frustrated linebacker Marvcus Patton to give Shuler a black eye on the field.
Veteran respect is reserved for those who earn it and that often takes time. Daniels already has it from teammates.
“I think through the years and through the season,” Quinn said, “you guys will feel that and see that like [Daniels] really puts it in. And, so that goes a long way to any other player on the team to know that like, hey man, we're all putting it in at this space, but it takes extra that position and he's definitely down for that.”
Not that players and coaches can’t have some fun with the rook. Daniels’ first pitch at the Washington Nationals game on Tuesday was a bit low and outside. Video will surface in meetings when the team needs a laugh.
“ I imagine it's in the film cans,” quipped Quinn, “as you would say in the news, but it's in the cans somewhere and it may show itself out at one point or another, but it has not yet. So, we will certainly keep that in our back pocket.”
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