NFC East quarterback rankings, Week 2: Jayden Daniels rises after decent debut

After one week of the NFL season, things aren't looking so hot for quarterback play in the NFC East. Despite having some big names on big contracts, even those that have been around for a while didn't look particularly frightening.

To be quite frank, these NFC East quarterback rankings may turn out to be pretty set in stone without much fluctuation throughout the season. But that is almost entirely dependent on how Jayden Daniels fares.

The Washington Commanders signal-caller would be the only one that could come in and throw a wrench into things. Despite having some solid numbers for a rookie debut in Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the No. 2 pick also needs to improve significantly.

Let's take a look at the NFC East quarterback rankings entering the Commanders' second game of the season at home to the New York Giants.

NFC East quarterback rankings entering Week 2

4. Daniel Jones

Hasn't Daniel Jones been on the hot seat long enough? Even before he was only available for six games last season due to his ACL tear - and even before his underwhelming 2024 preseason - he still hadn't shown as much as the New York Giants hoped from him.

Jones' opening game this year didn't help his case. The Giants got pummeled 28-6 by the Minnesota Vikings. He threw for 186 yards, two interceptions, and a lowly 44.6 quarterback rating.

Yikes.

What's even worse for Giants fans is that he's signed through 2026. Jones is set to make $112 million more before his contract concludes. This could be the only real reason he is starting. But then again, maybe not, considering they no longer have Tyrod Taylor.

The truth is that Jones is not a starting quarterback in the NFL other than at the very bottom of the league. With two clear options better than him within the division, it seems as if Jayden Daniels may already have a leg up on him as well.

Only time will tell. But the Giants front office will continue to look at other options next year and beyond.

3. Jayden Daniels

For a rookie debut, Jayden Daniels didn't do too badly. The Washington Commanders quarterback put up some pretty solid numbers, 17-for-24 for 184 passing yards, along with 88 yards on the ground and two scores. But if we're being honest, rushing for 16 times in his first game is not a great sign.

We can chalk it up to Todd Bowles' defensive prowess. At the same time, Daniels looked very tight from the first snap when he threw an errant screen pass to Brian Robinson Jr.

Though he did look far and away the most promising rookie quarterback and a lot more comfortable navigating the pocket than Caleb Williams, the No. 2 overall selection still looked hesitant at times when he needed to release the ball.

Daniels was a little nervous, sometimes timidly unaware of just how good he could be. However, the LSU product showed a lot of promise in Week 1. With time, he could begin climbing this list.

2. Jalen Hurts

Had the Philadelphia Eagles not been so dreadful down the stretch last year, there's a chance that Jalen Hurts could sit atop this list. Despite accumulating over 4,500 total yards and 38 touchdowns in 2023, his leadership was continuously questioned by both those inside the building and out.

From an outsider's point of view, his performance in Week 1 did not help his case, either. The Eagles may have squeaked out a win in Brazil against the Green Bay Packers. However, he not only threw two interceptions, one of which was unfathomably egregious, but Hurts also fumbled the ball twice.

If I had to make a bold take on this season, it would be that Hurts doesn't finish the campaign as the starting quarterback. Like Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III before him, the NFL has caught up. His ability to go through progressions is hindering him and his team.

It sounds wild, but it could turn out to be only a matter of time before the Eagles eventually turn to Kenny Pickett, who is still young and has still shown some promise. He has a career record of 14-11 despite having had to navigate some difficult circumstances.

1. Dak Prescott

With only one game into the season, the only other option for the top spot is Jalen Hurts. And say what you like about Dak Prescott in clutch moments, but the fact remains that he still was the runner-up for NFL MVP in 2023 after throwing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions.

The Dallas Cowboys came out of the gate as predicted with a dismantling of the Cleveland Browns. The signs are once more pointing to the perennial underachievers gaining a significant amount of hype throughout the campaign en route to another postseason appearance.

Prescott remains the top quarterback in the NFC East. With his new four-year, $240 million contract, perhaps it's the fuel he needed to finally take his regular-season production into the playoffs. In what was supposed to be an exciting contract year, the Cowboys wanted to keep the best quarterback in the division around for some more postseason opportunities.

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