5 critical observations from Commanders 2024 training camp Day 13

Another strong day for Jayden Daniels

Jayden Daniels is riding on the crest of a wave right now. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft has taken everything in his stride despite some enormous pressure on his shoulders. He's got the swagger and confidence needed to take the Washington Commanders where they want to go. Some genuine momentum is building, which only raises enthusiasm with just a few short weeks until his regular-season debut.

Daniels was almost flawless on Day 13 of training camp. There was only one incomplete pass from the former LSU star, which was almost brought in for a touchdown by Terry McLaurin according to those in attendance. This throw, in particular, to veteran tight end Zach Ertz was astonishing.

It's a laser on the move. It's the only place Ertz could have caught under decent coverage. It's a sign of how special Daniels can become in the right environment.

Tempering expectations is getting more difficult where Daniels is concerned. Fans have been starved of legitimate quarterback play in Washington for years, so it's not hard to see why they're getting carried away. It's a lot for someone so young, but the Heisman Trophy winner seems to be embracing the challenge rather than shrinking under the spotlight.

Expectations for Commanders' joint practice

Joint practices are a great assessment tool for those in power. It's a chance to go up against genuine NFL competition in a controlled setting. Dan Quinn and his staff find out much more about their players in this sort of environment. They'll also be keen for a better showing after struggling in torrential conditions versus the New York Jets.

The climate will be much more favorable in the Florida sunshine against the Miami Dolphins. Quinn revealed he's spoken at length with general manager Adam Peters about what unfolded during their joint practice with the Jets and what more might be needed to progress. Something he'll be examining this week in great detail based on comments via the team's website.

"It's really more about us and our performance, our skills and finding some matchups and just digging in on more information, more detail. So, less scheme and really more on the personnel side, the evaluations, and [General Manager] Adam [Peters] and I and the staff, we've met for a long time last night to discuss both the practice and the game from New York, and say just from those exposures, what'd we see? What do we wanna see more of? So, it's almost a similar process for this week's game."

- Dan Quinn via Commanders.com

This will be a tremendous challenge for the Commanders. Mike McDaniel's squad is lightning-fast on offense with enough playmakers on defense to cause complications. Washington needs to be at the top of its game to emerge from this practice with credit.

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