Corridor of Famer Howie Lengthy stated on FOX final Sunday that there are possible solely 5 NFL groups who wouldn’t commerce their very own quarterback for Washington’s Jayden Daniels:
The Ravens, Payments, Bengals, Chiefs and Chargers.
However the listing won’t even be so long as 5. And whether it is, it’s most likely the Texans with C.J. Stroud who wouldn’t clearly make the change — not Los Angeles with Justin Herbert.
Regardless, Lengthy’s level was an astute and horrifying one for the remainder of the NFC:
Daniels isn’t only a promising rookie quarterback. He’s a star.
He’s already top-of-the-line and most respected gamers within the league.
Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen: Daniels belongs in that dialog.
When Giants gamers have been filling out their Prime 20 NFL Gamers ballots in December to assist the league assemble its annual Prime 100 listing, a few of them put Daniels’ identify down.
“Oh! Five,” one participant stated, calling Daniels by his jersey quantity, as he wrote the Washington quarterback in.
Malik Nabers’ reverence for Daniels’ talents from their LSU days is well-known. Giants defensive gamers, although, additionally described Daniels as having unusual poise within the pocket.
He has quiet toes. He doesn’t panic. He hangs in to make throws. He’s cell sufficient to flee together with his legs, however he doesn’t bail out to run rapidly. So his operating isn’t a crutch; it’s a weapon.
And he’s cool below strain.
Eight of Washington’s 14 wins have been one-score video games. The Commanders attribute loads of their play below strain to Daniels’ efficiency and management in tight spots.
All informed, Daniels set new NFL data for playoff passing yards (822) and completions (75) by a rookie. He tied Ben Roethlisberger (14 wins in 2005) for probably the most wins by a rookie quarterback in NFL historical past, together with the postseason.
And he made the Commanders solely the fourth group within the common-draft period to make a high two choose within the NFL Draft and attain a convention championship recreation in the identical season.
The others have been the 2019 49ers (Nick Bosa), the 2006 Saints (Reggie Bush) and the 1996 Jaguars (Kevin Hardy).
Granted Daniels, 24, isn’t a younger rookie. So this isn’t a 21-year-old taking the league by storm who’s barely scratching the floor of his potential.
The results of Daniels’ 5 years in school at Arizona State and LSU — mixed with the rookie 12 months teaching he acquired from Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury — is that Daniels arrived within the NFL already ready to win.
So it’s not solely the Giants and Saints of the NFC who’re nowhere near catching up, particularly with an underwhelming quarterback class on this 2025 NFL Draft.
Daniels’ fast ascension additionally thrusts groups with so-so to good quarterback conditions into no man’s land, from the Seahawks, Cardinals and Falcons to the Cowboys, Packers and Buccaneers.
Daniels already crushed Jared Goff and the perfect model of those Detroit Lions head-to-head. The Rams’ Matthew Stafford is on the tail finish of his profession. The Vikings are an unknown. The Bears and Panthers are crossing their fingers.
The 49ers with Brock Purdy are a query mark.
Solely a resilient Jalen Hurts and the well-rounded Eagles had a solution within the NFC this season. A powerful one, at that.
Having a solution for Daniels 12 months after 12 months received’t simply be a problem for the remainder of the NFC, although. Will probably be the naked minimal required to be thought of a authentic risk within the convention.
He has already raised the bar that top.
