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Don’t ask Jayden Daniels about being compared to other quarterbacks because he doesn’t want to be, even if it means being mentioned in the same breath as two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
Comparisons are inevitable ahead of rookie Daniels leading the Washington Commanders into M&T Bank Stadium to face Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6.
Nonetheless, Daniels made it clear, “I don’t like when people try to compare me to Lamar. We’re two different players…. Appreciate everybody for who they are,” per ESPN’s John Keim.
Summing up his feelings bluntly, the second-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft told reporters, including Keim, “At the end of the day I want to be known as Jayden Daniels and not the next such and such.”
Jackson fully agrees Daniels is well on the way to forging his own path. Yet, two Heisman Trophy winners who’ve successfully transitioned dual-threat skills to the pros, will find it tough to avoid comparison.
Establishing dominance over Jackson early is the best way for Daniels to ensure he stands above comparison with any starting quarterback in the league.
Jayden Daniels Merits Respect for His Own Game
Daniels is doing enough to have his game judged on his own terms. Those terms include consistently thwarting defenses with awesome arm strength, either from the pocket or via off-platform throws.
One of his best passes from the pocket yielded a 41-yard touchdown connection with wide receiver Dyami Brown against the Cleveland Browns in Week 5.
This level of comfort throwing from a traditional base is one area where Daniels is arguably ahead of Jackson already. Jackson has refined his game as a passer in recent years, but Daniels has immediately shown a level of accuracy exceptional for a rookie.
The former LSU standout has been credited with 111 on-target throws by Pro Football Reference. Only 17 of Daniels’ passes have been registered as “bad throws.” Jackson, by contrast, has been responsible for 31 bad throws, while putting 104 on target.
Daniels is being slightly more efficient through the air, but both signal-callers grade highly on throws of 10-plus yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
If Daniels has an edge here, Jackson is still the king of going off script and making splash plays.
Lamar Jackson’s Improv Skills a Problem for Commanders
Nobody improvises quite like Jackson. He was at his mercurial best against the Cincinnati Bengals, during a 41-38 overtime win in Week 5. Jackson consistently frustrated AFC North rivals with his escapability.
One of his best ad-libbed moments wasn’t even a completion, but Jackson did avoid a sack when he turned around two Bengals defenders.
https://twitter.com/Lj_era8/status/1843049746015080719
Plays like this should have the Commanders nervous, even though there have been signs of improvement defensively. The unit kept mobile quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson in check the last two weeks, but Jackson is a level above.
Stopping him isn’t as simple as keeping the 27-year-old in the pocket. Trying to confuse Jackson with pressure from multiple angles in front of disguised coverage offers the Commanders a better chance.
Fortunately, head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. can unleash a roving “diabolical pass-rusher” capable of unsettling the reigning MVP. It may not be enough, but the Commanders have to find ways to make sure Daniels isn’t forced to match Jackson point for point.
That’s a comparison Daniels and the Commanders won’t like.
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