Buccaneers HC discusses ‘problem’ of facing Commanders’ Jayden Daniels
Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the second overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, will make his much-anticipated regular-season debut this coming Sunday afternoon at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles spoke with reporters on Monday and indicated he doesn’t expect Daniels will suffer from any first-day jitters.
“Any time you face a dual-threat quarterback, it’s going to be a problem,” Bowles said about Daniels, as shared by the Buccaneers’ website. “He can beat you with his legs or his arm. He was taken that high for a reason. He’s very accurate, very calm in the pocket, has a good mastery of the offense from what we’ve seen … It’s going to be tough trying to keep him in the pocket and trying to cover those guys.”
Daniels rushed for 1,134 yards to go along with 40 touchdown passes and 3,812 passing yards during his final season with the LSU Tigers. Some analysts ranked Daniels as the top quarterback in this year’s draft class ahead of Caleb Williams, selected first overall by the Chicago Bears, but others repeatedly have worried about how Daniels’ “slender frame” will handle absorbing hits delivered by NFL defenders if he doesn’t quickly learn when to slide to avoid such blows.
Similar to Daniels, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans was the second overall pick of his draft class in the spring of 2023. Stroud ultimately cruised to winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, and he is now a popular pick to compete for Most Valuable Player Award honors as a second-year pro.
As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Daniels second among the betting favorites behind only Williams (+135) at +475 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for the upcoming season.
Much has been made about the Buccaneers feeling disrespected regarding forecasts predicting that the Atlanta Falcons will win the NFC South title this season after Tampa Bay finished the past three campaigns atop the division standings. Giving Daniels numerous “welcome to the NFL” moments at Raymond James Stadium would be quite a statement from a Buccaneers team that is once again keeping receipts.
The Washington Commanders have released their first unofficial depth chart ahead of their regular season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Commanders will travel to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sept. 8 for their first road opener since the 2019 season. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m.
Here is a look at the full unofficial depth chart in order of their appearance on the list.
