One of the most under-the-radar moves Adam Peters made in his first offseason as Washington Commanders general manager was signing veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota to a one-year deal.
Peters knew he would be selecting a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He believed that Mariota would be a perfect bridge.
Mariota could start for a while if need be, or he could provide veteran mentorship to the rookie. If he had to step in due to injury, the former Oregon star was more than capable.
The veteran repaid that belief with a fine season. He appeared in six games, mostly in mop-up duty. In the two contests where he played major minutes, the signal-caller was outstanding. His mobility allowed Kliff Kingsbury to run the occasional short-yardage play with both quarterbacks on the field together.
Mariota’s performance was good enough to earn a new contract with a club that will consider him a potential starter. Since that will not happen in Washington, Peters enters his second offseason in search of a new backup quarterback.
An extension couldn't be completely dismissed, but few would begrudge Mariota another opportunity to start. Daniels' remarkable poise during his rookie season lessens the need for an experienced backup, though Peters still may prefer to go that route.
Free agents, draft picks, and internal candidates could all figure into his plans. Here's a brief look at five quarterbacks who might replace Mariota as the backup to Daniels in 2025.
Potential Marcus Mariota replacements if Commanders don't extend QB
Commanders could draft Brady Cook
General managers around the league are taking notice of what Daniels and Bo Nix accomplished in 2024. Both quarterbacks had prolonged college careers and entered the NFL with more experience than the typical rookie.
Missouri’s Brady Cook does not have Daniels’ exceptional athleticism, but he started for three years in college, throwing more than 1,000 passes for almost 10,000 yards. His 50 touchdown passes may not knock anyone’s socks off, but just 15 interceptions show he makes good decisions and throws an accurate ball.
When you add in Cook’s running, his stats look far more impressive. Though he didn’t pile up yards, the dual-threat ran for 21 touchdowns, displaying excellent speed and elusiveness in avoiding pass rushers.
Cook may not be as fast as Daniels. However, his 40-yard dash has been clocked at 4.62 seconds — a very good time for someone under center.
And Cook brings intangibles similar to those of Daniels.
He is a very high-character player and a student of the game. His preparation earned him back-to-back SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year designations in 2023 and 2024 — only the third player to achieve consecutive honors.
Normally, you would not want to entrust your backup role to a rookie, but Cook’s maturity makes him an exception. He is likely to be a late-round pick or perhaps even an undrafted free agent. That could provide the Washington Commanders with great value.