Commanders splurge $245,000 on UDFA QB following Jayden Daniels' draft

The Commanders drafted Jayden Daniels with the second pick overall and are looking forward to having him as the next franchise quarterback. But as they know, there is nothing certain when it comes to rookies from the draft. Ryan Leaf, selected second overall in the 1998 draft when Peyton Manning went first, is considered one of the biggest draft busts of all time. Zach Wilson, another second-rounder, faced an ignominious exit from the New York Jets just a few days ago.

Therefore, the Commanders have decided to add some insurance to that position. They signed Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman as an undrafted free agent. As per Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports, he has been given $20,000 signing bonus and $225,000 base salary guarantee for a total of $245,000. It is a big value for a player that was not drafted and they were unlikely to give him that much if they did not expect him to make the roster.

Therefore, Jayden Daniels, even though he is the presumptive starter, will have competition. The quarterback room looks a bit crowded as after the second-overall pick, the Commanders have Marcus Mariota, Jeff Driskel, and Jake Fromm also vying for the same position. Sam Hartman is likely to have to beat out those three if he wants to make it onto the final roster but, based on the guarantee he has been given, he looks to have a fair shot at it.

Jayden Daniels and the Commanders will have to adjust quickly

Jayden Daniels knows that the work is just getting started and while his high draft position will protect him for some time, he has to deliver from the off. The Commanders are in a division with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys, both of whom have been playoff regulars in the last three seasons and the New York Giants were in the postseason just a year ago.

The Washington Commanders are also under new ownership and will want their era to get off to an explosive start. His predecessor as the second overall pick last year, C.J. Stroud, has established himself at the Houston Texans and there are bound to be comparisons with him as well.

If anything, the major threat to Jayden Daniels is not from a quarterback room containing Sam Hartman. It is that he is being put under the microscope as a rookie without getting the opportunity to sit behind a veteran and learn from them.