After spending years toiling at the bottom of the NFC East, the Washington Commanders have finally turned the page and entered a new era. Brought on by new ownership and a standout rookie quarterback, the future is bright in Washington.
That rookie quarterback is none other than Jayden Daniels, former LSU Tiger and Heisman Trophy winner. He's taken the league by storm in his first NFL season and is the overwhelming favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Daniels brings a blend of arm talent and rushing ability that the league has not seen since Lamar Jackson was drafted. You could argue that Robert Griffin III brought a similar skill set to the Washington offense, but Daniels already appears to be a superior talent as a passer.
Daniels has carried the Commanders throughout the regular season, and he'll attempt to take home Washington's second playoff victory this century. However, if disaster strikes and Daniels is unable to play at any point during the playoffs, who will take his place?
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Who is the Commanders' backup quarterback?
Throughout the season, Marcus Mariota has served as the backup to Daniels in Washington.
Mariota played his college ball at the University of Oregon, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2014. Mariota and Daniels make up the only quarterback room in the NFL with multiple Heisman winners.
Mariota entered the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, selected second overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. He served as the Titans' starter for five seasons, leading the team to playoffs once. He's since bounced around the league as a backup, making stops with the Raiders, Falcons, and Eagles before heading to Washington.
While Daniels has been the star of the show this season, Mariota has made three appearances in relief of Daniels, most recently in Week 18 against the Cowboys. In these three games, Mariota has attempted 44 passes, completing 34 of them for 364 yards, four touchdowns, and zero INTs.
The offense would take a significant step back if Daniels is forced to miss any time, but Mariota is a more than capable quarterback who could weather the storm.
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Commanders QB depth chart
| Commanders QB Depth Chart | |
|---|---|
| QB | Name |
| 1 | Jayden Daniels |
| 2 | Marcus Mariota |
| 3 | Jeff Driskel |
Thankfully, the Commanders haven't had to reach down their depth chart often as Daniels was able to start all 17 regular season games this season.
Behind Daniels, the Washington QB room has a couple of established veterans. Mariota has appeared in 93 games across 10 NFL seasons while third-stringer Jeff Driskel has played in 25 games in his seven-year career.
