Commanders already showing what they want to be on the first day of training camp and Jayden Daniels fits right in
The Washington Commanders have worked all offseason to establish a new identity and culture under Adam Peters and Dan Quinn and training camp is the next phase of the process.Quinn and co. went straight to work on nailing down a key part of team's identity on Day 1 of camp and that's what the offense […]
The Washington Commanders have worked all offseason to establish a new identity and culture under Adam Peters and Dan Quinn and training camp is the next phase of the process.
Quinn and co. went straight to work on nailing down a key part of team's identity on Day 1 of camp and that's what the offense does in the red zone. As the cliches go, "it's a game of inches" and "a field goal league"; and we all know how settling for field goals can easily lead to Ls instead of wins.
"Things happen much more quickly [in the red zone], you know, the route, the field, the locations, where it goes," Quinn told reporters Wednesday. "So, seeing that type of communication early, we thought that would be a good way to go… It's such an important part of what we do. We didn't want to wait."
It's not easy to score in the red zone and it's logical to assume it'd be even tougher with a rookie quarterback, so it makes all the sense in the world for the Commanders to dive into this right off the bat. It's only been a day, but Daniels is already showing a command and feel for that area of the field.
"I think red zone can be difficult for offenses sometimes because you don't have as much room to operate and the defense has the back end line as another defender versus when you're kind of out by the opposite 40, or you have more field to work with," Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin told reporters. "So, the spacing and timing is even more paramount when you're in the red zone. That's why you have to be really detail-oriented, and where your splits are as receivers, tight ends, all skill positions and the depths of your route. You don't want to be in someone else's space when you're running your route."
"He [Daniels] just has a natural feel for that and you can see it by the way he operates, but also by his actions as well," McLaurin later added.
The key to all of it, however, just like the big picture, is Daniels' decision-making in the red area. The numbers will come with a sound process, which is exactly what the Commanders are focusing on throughout camp.
"That's such a big deal to know, I can fit this throw in here, or that's not a good one," said Quinn. "Because there could be a completion on one like, 'Man, was that the right call?' So, when you get done each day, it's easy to chart regular, you know, completion percentage or accuracy, but what was the decision-making process that went along with it?
"But it is [also] the time that you have to push yourself to see if you can make some plays on some aspects of things, offensively [and] defensively. If you never push those boundaries to see what you are capable of, you'll never know how far you can take it in a game. Because you certainly don't want to be risk-adverse, where you're so tight that you don't want to make a play. But there also has to be the balance, so it's more of the decision-making, and those are some things that we'll evaluate."
Daniels led one of the country's best red zone offenses in 2023
As it turns out, the LSU Tigers boasted the ninth-highest touchdown conversion rate (75.38%) in the country last year and that number also led the SEC. The Tigers' 49 touchdowns inside an opponent's 20-yard-line tied for fourth-most, as well.
NFL and college are obviously two completely different animals, and, Daniels was surrounded by a ton of talent, at the time. Still the point remains when it comes to leading an offense in the money area. Daniels has plenty of experience to lean on and as long as the coaching staff is doing right by him, he should be able to figure things out in 2024 and beyond.
