The Commanders rolled out Jayden Daniels for his highly anticipated preseason debut on Saturday, and if you blinked, you absolutely missed it. Seriously, if you got up for a quick snack, you might’ve come back to find someone else under center. Daniels got the starting nod, but his time on the field was shorter than a coffee break, clocking in at just one drive.
Blink and You Missed Daniels’ First Drive
This wasn’t some extended, in-depth look at what Daniels can do. Nope, it was a three-play cameo, a blink-and-you-missed-it sequence that summed up to a grand total of one yard gained. That’s it. One. Yard. For his first official snaps in a Commanders uniform, Daniels went 0-for-1 passing, unable to complete a single throw. To make matters worse, he immediately suffered a 10-yard sack, pushing his team backwards before his brief stint was over. It’s a stark reminder that preseason can be brutal, and even the most hyped players can have a start they’d rather forget. After Daniels’ swift exit, Sam Hartman and Athan Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round rookie from Rutgers, stepped in to handle quarterback duties for the rest of the game.
Mariota’s Injury Adds to the QB Shuffle
The quarterback room in Washington just got a whole lot more complicated, too. Backup Marcus Mariota is currently sidelined with a knee injury, and it’s not looking good. We’re talking an MCL sprain here, and the prognosis isn’t great. He’s expected to miss the rest of the preseason, which means he won’t get any more live reps to try and cement his spot or push for more playing time. This injury puts an immediate spotlight on the other QBs, especially after Daniels’ incredibly brief, one-yard outing. With Mariota on the shelf, the pressure on Daniels, Hartman, and Kaliakmanis to show something, anything, just ratcheted up big time heading into the final preseason game.
The Commanders face the Ravens next weekend in what’s now become a crucial preseason finale for their quarterback situation. After that, it’s straight into the regular season opener on the road against Philadelphia. With Daniels’ debut being so short and Mariota out of commission, the team has got to figure out who’s going to lead the charge when it actually counts. Every snap against the Ravens just got a whole lot more important for the guys under center.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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