Jayden Daniels stands tall — and kind of scares Dan Quinn — in Commanders' preseason loss

There is little to fret over in Jayden Daniels’ two preseason starts. That’s not to suggest the Washington Commanders rookie quarterback hasn’t made coach Dan Quinn nervous.

Daniels’ 42-yard completion after calling an audible last week highlighted the electric quarterback’s first-ever NFL action — and prompted a brilliant “Top Gun” analogy from the head coach. In Saturday’s second preseason game, a 13-6 loss at the Miami Dolphins, the first-round rookie completed 10 of 12 passes (83.3 percent) for 78 yards and drove the Commanders into field goal range on his only two possessions.

He also ran into traffic on one play rather than pumping the brakes and sliding to safety, leading Quinn back to the movies for a quote from “Animal House.”

“Yes, double-secret probation he is on,” Quinn joked.

Escaping the preseason without injuries is the No. 1 goal for any team. That wish goes tenfold with Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft who passed and ran to the Heisman Trophy last season. The 6-foot-3 quarterback’s slight frame isn’t built for hard hits. The cartoonish blows he absorbed at LSU made sliding a primary topic for the new coaching staff.

“He will. He will, he will,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said this month. “We’ve harped on it a lot, but you love the competitive nature. It’s just there’s a time and a place for it.”

This time came on a second-and-4 from Washington’s 37-yard line on its second possession. Kingsbury called a read-option, and Daniels, after faking the handoff, took off outside right behind the lead block of tight end John Bates. He gained 13 yards but engaged with a pair of Miami defenders before falling to the grass without harm.

Daniels smiled as he spoke with reporters about the run, calling the do-or-don’t decision “a constant battle” and saying it’s a “fine line between knowing when to take chances and when to get down.”

After he sought extra yards steps away from the Commanders’ sideline, Daniels said he could hear Quinn saying, “‘Get down, get down!’ That’s just our little joke going on.”

Nothing is silly about Daniels’ potential or the trust Quinn, Kingsbury and others have already placed in him.

“It means a lot that they trust me to go out there and play the position,” Daniels said on the local television broadcast about his 12 pass attempts in two drives. “Put the ball in the right spot. Take care of the football. (They let me) play football.”

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed all five pass attempts for 51 yards, including a deft 13-yard corner toss over Washington cornerback Benjamin St-Juste to River Cracraft for the game’s only touchdown. Defensive end hopeful Jamin Davis, playing against Miami’s third-stringers, had a strip sack for one of Washington’s two takeaways and four sacks.

“I really felt the running and hitting coming to life,” Quinn said.

Washington sat fewer players than in the road loss against the New York Jets. The defense competed without linemen Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Clelin Ferrell, Dante Fowler Jr., and five linebackers, led by Bobby Wagner. Wagner’s tag-team partner, Frankie Luvu, flew around the field in limited work, finishing with four tackles.

Quarterbacks Marcus Mariota (groin) and Sam Hartman (shoulder), offensive tackle Brandon Coleman (shoulder strain), and tight end Zach Ertz (personal) were out. Miami played without star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Daniels showed no stress in executing Washington’s up-tempo approach, getting teammates quickly to the line of scrimmage and adroitly reading the defense. If Daniels doesn’t dress for the Aug. 25 meeting at Commanders Field against the New England Patriots — good bet he sits — he finishes his first preseason 12-of-15 for 123 yards with 16 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

Kingsbury shared his intentions for Saturday’s plan with The Athletic, starting with the desire to show little strategy, knowing future foes are watching. Base schemes. Linemen trying to move people at the point of attack without a chip or double-team. Receivers aiming to win one-on-one matchups in space. The game tape will reveal details on those fronts to the staff. Kingsbury’s other checklist item — pushing the tempo — requires no review.

Washington moved quickly on drives of 10 plays (for 46 yards) and nine plays (52 yards) with Daniels at ease, though both possessions ended with field goal attempts from outside the 20-yard line. Kingsbury put Daniels in the pistol almost exclusively, with variance in personnel and formation.

Three-receiver sets were the primary formation unofficially, including on a pair of 11-yard power runs by Brian Robinson Jr. to kickstart the second drive. Using four receivers is a Kingsbury staple. That’s what Washington deployed on a third-and-3 from its 45-yard line with Daniels feeding Terry McLaurin at the line marker and the receiver breaking free for 20 yards. The drive stalled, and kicker Riley Patterson missed a 49-yard field goal try wide left.

The next possession extended into the second quarter and took longer than desired thanks to two penalties, both on right tackle Andrew Wylie. A holding call on third-and-1 from Miami’s 22 effectively ended any touchdown hopes.

Jeff Driskel (11-of-15, 82 yards) followed Daniels and flashed his athleticism with a 41-yard run. After signing on Thursday, quarterback Trace McSorley nearly generated a touchdown inside the final minute, but Mitchell Tinsley could not catch the slightly off-target throw at the goal line. Barring the unforeseen, those names won’t play in the regular season for Washington. Even though he has not yet been named the Week 1 starter, Daniels is the guy even after scaring his head coach once again.

“I thought (Jayden) had another really good outing,” Quinn said. “The decision-making of where to go (with passes). He really is a unique competitor. But, yes, he is definitely in trouble again with the head coach.”

Other notes from Washington’s second preseason game

• Patterson, coming off a perfect 6-of-6 showing in Thursday’s joint practice, accounted for Washington’s only points with field goals from 46 and 38 yards. He also missed a pair, the second coming on a 43-yard attempt, continuing an erratic summer. Signed early in training camp, the ex-Jacksonville Jaguar is the only kicker on the roster after the team released Ramiz Ahmed following the Jets game.

Quinn supported Patterson after the loss. Still, the Commanders will eventually add another kicker or two, though they might wait until teams trim rosters to 53 players.

• The WR2 competition remains fluid as the candidates were limited to underneath throws. Dyami Brown caught three passes for 19 yards on the first drive. Olamide Zaccheaus finished with two for 9 yards, while Jahan Dotson’s lone catch on two targets went for 3 yards.

• Seventh-round edge rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste, playing ahead of Davis, also had a sack. Washington’s coaches seem pleased with Davis’ effort while switching from linebacker to defensive end. Davis’ physical tools are prominent, as is the 2021 first-round pick’s growth this summer. However, he remains behind other defensive ends, including another player standing out, KJ Henry. Keeping Davis and Jean-Baptiste is conceivable if Washington is willing to keep six defensive ends. That might be challenging if UDFA standout Tyler Owens leads to holding space for seven safeties.

• The returner experimentation continued. Kazmeir Allen averaged 19.5 yards on two kick returns and 3.0 yards on a pair of punt returns. The Commanders also wanted to give the wide receiver an opportunity at running back, and the speed threat had 13 yards on three carries. Allen also turned the ball over with a fumble. Last year’s staff hoped to get Allen on the main roster, but he wasn’t ready. Another opportunity is here. He’ll have next week’s finale to show he belongs.

(Photo: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images)