Commanders QB Jayden Daniels soars into early NFL MVP consideration

It's hard to come up with different ways to describe Jayden Daniels' brilliance. Every week seems to be something new for the Washington Commanders quarterback. He's a genuine superstar with the poise, precision, and confidence capable of taking this storied franchise back to their rightful place at the league's top table. Another exceptional performance in Week 4 at the Arizona Cardinals lent further weight to these claims.

Daniels threw his first interception, but it was almost flawless aside from that. The Commanders scored 42 points in yet another demolition job on the road. Everything is coming together much sooner than expected, which is thanks in no small part to the signal-caller's supreme talent and the environment Washington put together before his eagerly-anticipated arrival.

The Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU looks like he belongs among the elite. It's too soon to be calling him that, but it won't be much longer if the same trend continues. Daniels is off to a historic start through four weeks, something that also propelled him into early NFL MVP consideration along the way.

Commanders are getting elite-level production from Jayden Daniels

As other more established quarterbacks around the league struggle, Daniels is thriving. His ability to excel in the biggest moments defies his inexperience in the pros. He won over the locker room quickly and got even his harshest pre-draft critics on board through consistency and a ruthless mentality that's hard not to love.

The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft's statistics through the opening four games speak for themselves. They are up there with any signal-caller - whether it's perennial Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes or anyone else. Keeping this up separates the good from the great, so it'll be interesting to see how Daniels fares in the months ahead.

• 82.1 percent completion
• 897 passing yards
• 224.3 passing yards per game
• 3 passing touchdowns
• 1 interception
• 63 combined first downs (rushing and passing)
• 218 rushing yards (4.7 yards per carry)
• 4 rushing touchdowns
• 107.4 passer rating
• 73.4 QBR

Daniels is still a long way down the NFL MVP odds among most sportsbooks. Even the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, and Joe Burrow are ahead of him. That indicates there is still a level of caution regarding the player's sustainability despite his meteoric rise to prominence.

The Commanders have a strong support system around Daniels. Kliff Kingsbury, Tavita Pritchard, and Brian Johnson will ensure he doesn't get carried away and keeps his feet on the ground amid ongoing adulation. But it's hard to look at his form so far and not think he's among the NFL MVP frontrunners through the first month.

Perhaps Josh Allen and Sam Darnold would be the only ones ahead of him, but it's not by much. That's how good Daniels has been over the opening four contests. There is a long way to go, but it seems for all the smart money as if the Commanders have finally found their guy.

The Cajon High School product is making everyone around him better. Washington believes they'll always have a chance with Daniels under center. He approaches every moment big or small with the same controlled aggression and calm demeanor. That's a dangerous combination already striking fear into defensive coordinators across the NFL.

Daniels becoming NFL MVP in Year 1 of his professional career is a stretch, in all honesty. But if he keeps this up for a full 17-game slate, who knows where that will take him?

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