Grading Commanders QB Jayden Daniels' performance in Preseason Week 2

Jayden Daniels once again took center stage during his second taste of an NFL game-day setting at the Miami Dolphins in Preseason Week 2. The Washington Commanders are taking things slowly with the quarterback and have yet to officially name him the starting option. However, that's all but assured after a sensational offseason.

Daniels' NFL debut against the New York Jets was brief, but it was another fine example of what the No. 2 overall selection could bring to the organization in the short and long term. The former LSU star backed this up with another outstanding joint practice versus the Dolphins this week, which was a clinic in red-zone efficiency to whet the appetite further.

Nobody was expecting Daniels to play much at Hard Rock Stadium. Dan Quinn has a plan in place for the rookie and is taking things slowly. One only has to look at J.J. McCarthy's injury with the Minnesota Vikings to see how the trajectory of a franchise can change in the blink of an eye. The Commanders cannot afford to suffer a similar fate with their new prized possession.

How did Commanders QB Jayden Daniels fare in Preseason Week 2?

This was a good opportunity for Daniels to add more momentum with Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fast approaching. The Dolphins wanted to do everything in their power to restrict the signal-caller. That said, it was another encouraging showing from the Heisman Trophy winner during extremely limited involvement.

Daniels picked up where he left off in Preseason Week 1. He was methodical, took what the defense gave him, and made some nice throws under pressure.

Dyami Brown got a couple of nice receptions to keep the chains moving. Daniels' blossoming connection with Terry McLaurin continues to flourish, with the Pro Bowl wideout securing what was easily the biggest gain on Washington's opening drive. There was even a bit of no-huddle thrown in for good measure.

Unfortunately, the drive stalled in Miami territory. The Commanders didn't get any points to show for their efforts after Riley Patterson missed from 49 yards by a considerable margin. This lends further claims to Washington's kicker in Week 1 not being on the roster right now.

The dual-threat force got the opportunity to showcase his supreme mobility on the second drive, although Quinn was quick to point out the need to get down once the first down was secured. Daniels seemed unphased. He moved the football downfield with ease and was on point with his timing to raise enthusiasm even more.

Washington's drive was halted once again through no fault of Daniels. Andrew Wylie was called for a crucial holding penalty - his second of the drive - which the Commanders couldn't claw back. Thankfully, the field goal was made to ensure the first-round pick had points to show for his efforts.

Overall, this was another pleasing effort from Daniels. He's got complete control at the line of scrimmage, is accurate in or out of structure, and his release is nothing short of sensational. It was another small sample size, but there was a lot to like nonetheless.

That was enough for the Commanders to take Daniels out of the firing line. He completed 83.33 percent of his passes for 78 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 93.8. He also gained 13 yards on the ground from two carries.

Performance grade: B

Daniels continues to show signs of being a franchise-caliber quarterback. It's not going to be perfect and the offensive line is a major concern. Even so, the new face of the organization left a pretty decent impression.

Whether Daniels gets additional experience in Washington's preseason finale at home to the New England Patriots remains to be seen. Regardless of which direction the coaching staff goes, the quarterback looks ready to hit the ground running in 2024.

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