NFL Rookie QBs Cleared for Takeoff | 4 Downs

The future looks bright in Chicago, Washington, and Denver thanks to shimmering promise of highly drafted rookie quarterbacks

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Week 1 of the NFL preseason delivered the highly anticipated rookie quarterback showcase that analysts, reporters, and fans alike had been eagerly waiting months to see. The young gunslingers, with their franchise’s futures tied to their rise, did not disappoint.

“Sure it’s only one game,” an NFC Front Office Executive told me of this weekend’s rookie quarterback play. “But a lot of special instincts and moxie for the game by the entire group, with the exception of Drake Maye who just didn’t play enough to get a fair read.

“It wasn’t their physical talent for me, although that was evident, it was their poise and processing, for the first time seeing live bullets that were most impressive.”

Here’s a breakdown of how Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, and Bo Nix sprinted onto the scene in their NFL debuts* and how one team became an exhibition chaos agent this weekend.

Jayden Daniels ‘More Than Fit in’ For Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are raising the curtain on a new era, and the initial returns offer an optimistic view of the future around No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels.

Saturday afternoon in North Jersey against the Jets, head coach Dan Quinn sent the former Heisman Trophy winner out with the first-team offense for a series that can potentially serve as the kindling for a fireworks show of excitement in the nation’s capital.

Daniels attempted three passes but finished with 45 yards — 42 coming on a deep to Dyami Brown into a ridiculously tight window — en route to a nearly flawless 109.7 passer rating.

“He hit a nine route on a perfect throw,” an AFC Executive on hand at MetLife Stadium told me.