The Washington Commanders are buzzing with a new energy, and it’s all thanks to their shiny rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. Head coach Dan Quinn can’t stop gushing about his talents, both on and off the field.

“What I saw on the field was pretty much exactly what we saw from his time,” Quinn remarked about Daniels’ impressive debut while talking to reporters before Day 2 of the Commanders’ Rookie Minicamp. “What you don’t see on the tape is how much this guy loves football,” Quinn raved. “He works so hard at it, man. The way he competes, it just makes my heart smile.”

And Daniels isn’t just a one-man show. He has already taken charge of the huddle, making sure everyone’s on the same page. “Sometimes as a quarterback, it’s not just what you’re doing,” Quinn explained. “It’s getting the formation set, calling out motions, fixing mistakes. That’s when you know he’s fully in command.”

With Daniels leading the way, Quinn believes the sky’s the limit for the Commanders. “We’ve got a lot of good things going on,” he said, barely containing his excitement. You can bet they’re soaking up every moment of this fresh start.

But there is something that will make Daniels’s job harder. Being a top player that throws the football is not enough. He also needs to play the role of a glue that will keep all pieces in their places while the offense runs. A very daunting task awaits Quinn’s protégé as he is only a first-year player, but Daniels is totally capable of meeting that challenge if we go by Quinn’s excitement. That being said, there are also talks of Daniels having to fend off competition from Marcus Mariota amidst all this.

Is the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels-Mariota QB Battle a legit competition?

While Daniels has the Commanders’ coaching staff doing backflips, there’s still one big question looming: Is this supposed “quarterback battle” with veteran Marcus Mariota a real thing?

CBS Sports has weighed in, labeling the Daniels-Mariota duel a “sham competition,” asserting that “if Mariota starts, there is something deeply wrong here.” The reasoning? Daniels, at 23 years old and coming off a stellar five-year college career that culminated in him being selected second overall, represents the future of the franchise.

But here’s the catch. Coach Quinn ain’t putting any timeline on naming his starter just yet. He’s leaving that door open, at least for now, adding some spice to this QB showdown.

On one hand, there is Daniels, the future face of the franchise, with the cast that is supposed to allow him the space to realize his full potential. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin and running back Brian Robison Jr. are two skilled athletes who can bring some load off the young player. On the other hand, there’s Mariota, the older quarterback with an experienced arm to throw the ball for a mile and a wealth of experience. He can potentially help the young talent Daniels perform well without unnecessary challenge.

So are we up for a real battle, or is it just inevitable that Daniels will take to the field as a starter? All we are aware of is that the gossip in this fancy plotline makes the Commanders’ camp even more spectacular.