A unique challenge awaits the Buccaneers when they open the 2024 season against Jayden Daniels and the Commanders on Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.
Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft and Heisman winner last year at Louisiana State, will make his NFL debut against Todd Bowles’ Buccaneers defense. Despite some anecdotal evidence, it’s generally not easy for a rookie quarterback to face a defensive phenom like Bowles.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels – Photo courtesy of USA Today
But at the same time, there’s no denying that Jayden Daniels could give Tampa Bay some problems when Washington visits the state to open the season. Daniels is a true dual-threat quarterback who is poised to make a name for himself in the NFL after rushing for 2,019 yards and 21 touchdowns and passing for 6,725 yards and 57 touchdowns over the past two years at Louisiana State.
“Any time you play against a dual-threat quarterback, it’s a problem. He can beat you with his legs or his arm,” Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said. He said on Monday. “There’s a reason he was selected that high. From what we’ve seen, he’s very accurate, very calm in the pocket and has mastered the offense very well. It’s going to be tough to keep him in the pocket and cover other guys.”
#Buccaneers Head coach Todd Bowles talks about facing Jayden Daniels pic.twitter.com/btguxkayci
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Daniels can torment defenders with his feet, but what he can do in the air is questionable. Over his final two collegiate seasons, he threw 57 touchdown passes to just seven interceptions and completed 70.2 percent of his passes.
“He’s accurate,” Bowles said. “That says it all. He’s accurate. He knows what he’s doing, he knows where to put the ball, and he’s very good at it.”
In two preseason games, Daniels completed 12 of 15 passes for 123 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions and a passing rating of 100.8, and also ran three times for 16 yards and a touchdown against the Jets.
What does Todd Bowles think about preparing for the Jayden Daniels fight?
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
Jayden Daniels’ skill set is such that it’s difficult to gameplan for him, especially when you don’t factor in the fact that he’s only played in the preseason and has very little NFL film, so what does Todd Bowles think about that element of the challenge facing him and his defense?
“Really, this is just like Week 1,” Bowles said. “Every time the season starts, you don’t know what the other team is going to do. There are basic plays, but there’s a lot of other things we have to prepare for. We just have to read the key points, do our part and see what happens.”
Bowles is Washington’s rookie quarterbackHis message remained consistent throughout Monday’s press conference: For the Buccaneers, it’s not a battle with Jayden Daniels. It’s a battle with the Commanders.
“I think if you’re just going up against a rookie quarterback, 10 other guys are going to beat you,” Bowles said. “We [Commanders]”We’re not playing Jayden Daniels. They have 10 guys that we have to worry about. We’re not playing a rookie quarterback. [Commanders].”
Jayden Daniels steps into favorable conditions as a rookie
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and RB Brian Robinson Jr. – Photo courtesy of USA Today
As Todd Bowles alluded to, the Commanders have plenty of offensive talent for Jayden Daniels to thrive in, which is why the Buccaneers can’t rely solely on Daniels.
“I mean, they have a lot of guys, they can use everybody, they have a lot of guys,” Bowles said. “They obviously have two running backs. [Austin] Ekeler and [Brian] Robinson. They [Terry] McLoughlin, they [Noah] Brown, they [Luke] McCaffrey, they [Zach] Ertz, a tight end, drafted a kid out of Kansas State University. [tight end Ben Sinnott] They can play very well. They have a lot of options.”
But Bowles and the Buccaneers know firsthand how quickly a rookie quarterback can adjust to the NFL if he’s in the right situation. They saw it happen last year when C.J. Stroud threw for a rookie-record 470 yards in a 39-37 win over Bowles’ Buccaneers last November. Stroud threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and three more runs for points, en route to being named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Needless to say, Stroud led Houston to the playoffs in his first season.
“So, with the right team, the right fit, you can be successful,” Bowles said. “C.J. [Stroud] “He was a great quarterback last year, but there were a couple others. Jayden will probably be a great quarterback.”
Jayden Daniels has all the tools to be a great quarterback in the NFL just like he was in college, and he has some weapons that could work for him in Washington, so his league debut may not be far off, but it’s up to Todd Bowles and the Bucs. Prevent that from happening Week one for him.
