NFL Rookie QB Musings, Week 5: Jayden Daniels ascending; Caleb Williams finding his comfort
Through Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season, it’s really been a tale of two rookie quarterbacks as the Caleb Williams vs Jayden Daniels debate grows. One quarterback is taking the league by storm, while the other one started the season as a dud, but it looks like the forecast is starting to look less gloomy in the Windy City.
As the season moves into Week 5, the question surrounding the rookie quarterbacks in the league will center on whether Daniels can stay hot, can Williams continue to transcend in the NFL. While there’s still enough time for Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Broncos’ rookie Bo Nix to enter the conversation, the QB in D.C. is looking exactly how the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft looked in his first four games, if not better.
Jayden Daniels performing like a top 10 quarterback in the NFL
Yes, watch out C.J. Stroud because this Washington Commanders rookie is on pace to have a better rookie season than you had in 2023. After another strong performance in Week 4, Daniels continues to show the league he was the best QB taken in the draft. Through 4 games, he has passed for a total of 897 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. It is the passing percentage that has Daniels looking fly in D.C. and a major reason he has inched higher in NFL.Com’s NFL QB Index.
In ranking Daniels at No. 8 just ahead of Brock Purdy and Baker Mayfield, NFL.com’s Nick Shook writes:
“A rookie doesn't just luck into the best completion percentage (82.1) by any NFL player in a four-game span since at least 1950. Daniels is the real deal, operating an offense that gives him easy, quick reads, affords him the freedom to improvise when necessary and supports him with a better-than-expected offensive line and a running game that seems to be getting stronger with each week. Daniels was once again in complete command of the offense in Arizona, rifling passes through the defense, picking up positive gains with his legs and dominating with his exciting blend of arm talent, composure and athletic ability. He's made the Commanders a fun watch, and he's only just getting started.”
It's not luck at all that the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner has brought his dual-threat flash to the next level. The former NFL star has not only led the Commanders to a 3-1 record, but he is also
doing it with his arm, legs and patience that has him in a great place as a rookie quarterback. The next phrase of Daniels’ growth will come when he and the team does hit adversity.
Caleb Williams finding his comfort zone
One of the biggest overreactions early in the 2024 NFL season surrounds the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a slow start to start his professional football career, are the Chicago Bears regretting their decision to go with Caleb Williams over Daniels?
It’s all hindsight now, but Williams was the consensus No. 1 ranked QB coming out of USC and deserves a bit more time to show the promise and splash he came into the league with. He also just needs time to find his comfort zone like he is beginning to show on the field. In passing for over 300 yards in the Bears’ Week 3 win over the Colts and a 106.6 rating against the Los Angeles Rams the following week, Williams is coming into his own by learning from the mistakes he is making on the field and just being patient as he grows within the scheme of the game.
"You learn from all your mistakes, and that's what I've been doing," Williams said, via the team’s official site. "Those interceptions, those messed up plays that I may have had, the rookie mistakes as they call them, just learning from those as fast as possible. Not hanging my head for too long. Obviously frustrated about them because it's not a characteristic I've been used to—turning the ball over—so making sure I protect the ball, not having mistakes overall and doing whatever the team needs me to do."
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Just sticking with that gameplan, Williams will be fine and who knows, the next four weeks can see things flip with the top two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Daniels has yet to face adversity, so the question will be how he responds once he starts to encounter struggles. Williams, on the other hand, faced it right away and is fighting his way through it.
Time is still on the table for both of these young quarterbacks.