As the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels comes with plenty of fanfare and high expectations, which in turn, places him under the microscope for the entire regular season.
In one of his latest features for CBS Sports, Chris Trapasso graded seven of the next generation of quarterbacks, giving Daniels' Week 1 debut performance a C Grade. Here's what Trappasso had to say in his summary:
"Such a conservative game plan for an Air Raid offensive coordinator and a quarterback with Daniels' skill set, but maybe it was simply because it was his first start in the NFL. The athleticism was on full display throughout, and I like how Daniels rarely hesitated to run. The throwing left more to be desired, although he didn't make bad decisions. There was just a lack of the spectacular we grew accustomed to seeing last season at LSU."
Trapasso does lay out a fair assessment of Daniels' Week 1 showing, particularly highlighting his production on the ground. But it's not like we should act entirely surprised that Daniels didn't produce spectacularly with his new offense considering he's now in an entirely new system with a completely different set of wide receivers around him.
Chemistry will take time to build between Daniels and his new teammates, as well as playing under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Daniels completed 70.8 percent of his 24 pass attempts for 184 passing yards while rushing a total of 16 times for an additional 88 yards and two touchdowns. And the most important wrinkle Trapasso highlights, is that Daniels did not make bad decisions, resulting in zero interceptions.
Although Daniels received a C grade for Week 1, it could very well be higher following his Week 2 performance against a New York Giants Defense that's ranked 21st in passing yards allowed per game (201) and conceded 21 points against the Minnesota Vikings offense to start the season (the Vikings defense secured a Pick-6 to make it 28-6). To say this is a favorable matchup for Daniels is a big understatement.
