It has been a major roller coaster ride for quarterback Sam Hartman. He had been the No. 3 quarterback for the Washington Commanders but when backup quarterback Marcus Mariota returned from a groin injury, the team had no used for him on their roster.
As a result, the Commanders cut Hartman Thursday and that made him available to any team in the NFL. A day later, the Commanders have brought Hartman back as a practice squad player.
Practice squad players don’t earn anything close to the NFL minimum ($795,000 per year), but Hartman is now available to be brought back up to the active roster in the event of any quarterback injury. Hartman is an undrafted rookie from Notre Dame and he did well enough in training camp to make head coach Dan Quinn’s practice squad.
However, the Commanders have become one of the top stories in the NFL this season because of the play of another rookie quarterback. Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 selection in last spring’s NFL draft, has been superb in Washington’s first five games of the season and the Commanders are in first place in the NFC East with a 4-1 record.
Daniels leading the way for Commanders
At the start of the season, Daniels was expected to go through the growing pains that most rookie quarterbacks face when they are getting introduced to the NFL. The ability to read defenses and diagnose where the pass rush is coming from generally takes time for young quarterbacks to learn. Instead of putting together consistent performances, the early part of a career is often about the survival mode.
That has not been the case for Daniels, who seems to be following the example set by Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was superb as a rookie last season. Daniels has been unfailingly accurate through his first five NFL games, completing 101 of 131 passes for 1,135 yards with 4 TD passes and just 2 interceptions. His 77.1 completion percentage is off the charts, and it seems unreasonable that he could maintain that level for a full season.
In addition to his superb passing, Daniels has been getting the job done on the ground as well. He has gained 300 rushing yards on 57 carries and scored 4 touchdowns.
As much as Daniels has contributed, he is not the full story for Washington’s successful season. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is one of the most consistent receivers in the league and he has caught 23 passes for 303 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Running back Brian Robinson has contributed solid rushing numbers, as he has carried the ball 73 times for 325 yards and found the end zone 5 times.
The Commanders have won four games in a row since losing their opener to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They face a stiff test in Week 6 when they face the Ravens in Baltimore.
