'He will be actually, actually good': Commanders teammates looking forward to Jayden Daniels' debut

ASHBURN, Va. — Optimism for a brand new quarterback has turn into previous hat for the Washington Commanders.

The group has began a unique quarterback in every of the earlier six seasons. It has traded for former excessive draft picks — twice. It has signed veterans. It began draft picks. Every time, there’s an try to clarify why this time issues will probably be totally different. Every time, all of it ends with Washington looking for one other reply on the place.

As Washington prepares for its season opener on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox), it is Jayden Daniels‘ flip. The optimism, predictably, has returned, however this time it feels totally different.

There’s this:

“We obtained a particular, particular dude,” proper guard Sam Cosmi mentioned of Daniels. “That makes me excited to be right here.”

And this:

“He will be actually, actually good,” 12-year veteran tight finish Zach Ertz mentioned, “and it isn’t going to be a type of issues the place it should be good in a number of years. He is actually good proper now.”

The one one not shopping for into the Daniels hype is Daniels himself.

“Cannot go on the market and suppose I am the savior,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, when he steps onto the sphere towards Tampa, he’ll be making essentially the most anticipated first begin by a Washington rookie quarterback since Robert Griffin III in 2012. Like Daniels, Griffin was the No. 2 choose and a former Heisman winner. In his debut, Griffin accomplished 19-of-26 passes for 320 yards and ran for 42 yards on 9 carries in a win over the New Orleans Saints.

Griffin received the NFL’s Rookie of the 12 months that season, throwing for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns whereas operating for an additional 815 yards and 5 scores.

“I am anxious to look at him play myself,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury mentioned. “I do know he’s going to chop it free. He is a reasonably laid again, chill cat, however when he steps on that discipline he is attempting to tear your head off. To see that aggressive nature come out in his first recreation, and it isn’t all the time going to be fairly … that will probably be a number of enjoyable for me to witness.”

Washington will face a tricky check towards a Tampa Bay protection that blitzed the third most of any staff final season. Daniels proved adept towards the blitz in school, posting the fifth-best QBR vs. the blitz amongst Division I quarterbacks final season, ending with 17 touchdowns and no picks. However that was school. His Commanders teammates say his capability to rapidly eliminate the ball is a cause they are saying he will not be overwhelmed within the NFL. Teammates and coaches have additionally lauded his poise within the pocket this summer season. To their level, Daniels was not sacked in 15 move makes an attempt over his two preseason video games.

“He will get the ball out of his palms rapidly. His anticipation is at a excessive degree for a man who simply obtained to the NFL,” veteran receiver Terry McLaurin mentioned. “He got here in actually polished. … He is calm, cool and picked up however you possibly can inform he is obtained some s— to him.”

Daniels has not positioned heavy expectations on himself since arriving in Washington. As an alternative, he is centered on enjoying his function.

“Simply go on the market and be myself,” Daniels mentioned. “Keep grounded. Do not get too excessive, do not get too low. It takes a staff to assist individuals out.”

It is the identical message Daniels has repeated since Washington drafted him in April. However he additionally is aware of it is his first recreation. Daniels performed 55 video games in school, so he enters with a number of expertise. He went via a transition as a freshman starter at Arizona State and went via one other when he transferred to LSU for his last two seasons. Now comes one other large soar.

“You are a rookie. You are not going to have all the pieces excellent,” he mentioned. “You possibly can try for perfection, nevertheless it’s not going to be excellent. It’ll be ups and downs, and simply go from there.”

And whereas gamers say they imagine in him already, additionally they know he simply obtained right here. The veterans raving about him additionally perceive there’s extra work to do: He has to indicate he can deal with an NFL blitz all recreation; he has to show he could make large performs below duress and beat groups from the pocket. McLaurin referred to as it a “journey and a course of” that Daniels should endure. Others agree.

“We do not anticipate Jayden to placed on a Superman cape and save us and put the offense on his again from day one,” Ertz mentioned, “though we all know he can do this. We anticipate him to do what he is carried out the complete offseason, present his poise and be composed in all conditions and lead this offense.”

After speaking about what Daniels may do for the previous four-plus months, everybody will get an opportunity to see it Sunday.

“It is nearly such as you’re watching your child’s first recreation,” receiver Dyami Brown mentioned. “I’ve seen you at follow for thus lengthy. Let’s go watch this recreation, see what you are able to do.”