Jayden Daniels is the Washington Commanders' greatest hope for decades. One rival general manager provided the blueprint to ensure his remarkable early success becomes something more.
The quarterback took the NFL by storm in Year 1, displaying the poise and dynamic traits that haven't been seen in D.C. since Robert Griffin III. That ended horribly after the punishment of being a dual-threat took its toll. Washington would be wise to avoid similar mistakes this time around.
Fortunately, it's a new era. The Commanders have an accomplished coaching staff to help Daniels along the way. Adam Peters did his part, making some bold moves throughout the offseason in pursuit of giving his franchise player everything needed to thrive moving forward.
There are countless examples throughout league history of quarterbacks starting superbly but tailing off. Whether it's complacency, a poor supporting cast, not receiving the correct development, or having a bigger bullseye on their back, fleeting success is a bad look for everyone involved. The Commanders won't want that to happen with Daniels.
Commanders must protect Jayden Daniels (in more ways than one)
The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has the inner drive and work ethic to keep complications to a minimum. Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane also provided the Commanders with some useful tips based on his experience with his own franchise signal-caller.
Beane stated via John Keim of ESPN that protecting Daniels, both by acquiring the right personnel and teaching him how to minimize risks on the field, should keep things progressing. The Commanders would be wise to heed his advice, especially considering the success Buffalo's had in turning Josh Allen from a fledgling star to an NFL MVP.
"Ultimately make sure he is protected. How does he play as many games as possible? [Daniels is] an elusive runner as well, so having those conversations with him as well of being smart. We had to have a lot of those with Josh [Allen] and sometimes still do. He can be a knucklehead sometimes. It's just showing him on film, 'Hey, you had an opportunity to get out of bounds. You had an opportunity to get down.' Having those discussions about when do you need to put your body on the line, and when do you not? You can't put him in bubble wrap, but [it's about] protecting him with the line and then him protecting himself."
Brandon Beane
One could argue that the Commanders have already implemented this strategy. Peters gave up substantial resources to secure the services of Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil via trade from the Houston Texans. He's one of the league's premier edge protectors, boasting exceptional pass protection and crushing capabilities on running plays. This promises to be a game-changer in no uncertain terms, although it will involve some shuffling around for others.
Daniels also became more self-aware as the campaign progressed. He probably took more punishment than needed, but he started to tone down his desire to gain extra yards when there wasn't a real need to do so. This is only going to continue with experience, and Washington's ground game becoming more efficient for an entire 17-game slate will also take the pressure off.
The Commanders have a genuine superstar in Daniels. Restricting his on-field creativity takes away part of the immense skill set he brings to the table. Therefore, it's about protecting him accordingly and refining his ability to quickly assess risk versus reward in high-stakes situations.
It sounds simple, in theory. But you'd be surprised how many teams have failed to accomplish this feat with their prized possessions over the years.
Washington is one of them after Griffin's incredible start fizzled out. They cannot afford the same to occur where Daniels is concerned.
