The Washington Commanders offseason moves have cleared the runway for the team to select their next franchise quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and head coach Dan Quinn only added fuel to the fire in a recent discussion he had with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero at the Annual League Meeting.
Quinn essentially revealed his cards to Pelissero, implying that the Commanders are taking a quarterback in this year’s draft. But he deferred to general manager Adam Peters regarding what point in the annual multi-day event Washington plans to do so.
“I would say it’d be fair to envision we’d be taking a quarterback,” Quinn said. “To say where it’ll be happening, I think that’s a better question for Adam [Peters],” he added.
The timing of his comments is eye-opening with the draft roughly a month away, especially considering the recent update from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, saying that LSU’s Jayden Daniels is “probably the leader in the clubhouse to be a Commander,” when he appeared on NBC Sports Boston’s Areblla Early Edition.
Albert Breer just said that what he’s hearing from people is that Commanders are leaning towards taking Jayden Daniels with the #2 pick. Breer is respected around the league so this is relatively big news. #httc @1067theFan pic.twitter.com/t9Of8kEc2y
— D-wight One (@DwightWilkins81) March 21, 2024
Dan Quinn fuels Jayden Daniels-Commanders NFL Draft rumors
Does that make the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner taking his talents to Washington a foregone conclusion? It feels like that may be the case.
Aside from the remarks by Quinn, Washington’s actions suggest they plan to bring in a young signal-caller, signing veteran backup quarterback Marcus Mariota in free agency and trading 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell, who started all 17 games for the Commanders last season, to the Seattle Seahawks.
However, Daniels isn’t the only option the Commanders are considering. UNC’s Drake Maye is a potential candidate for the team with the second pick, with several scouts labeling him the next-best prospect on the board after presumed No. 1 pick, USC’s Caleb Williams.