As we do every Monday, let’s go around the National Football League for the latest news and updates.
- Washington has done what pretty much everyone who follows the league on a regular basis expected them to do this week: they’ve named Heisman Trophy-winner Jayden Daniels their starting quarterback for the 2024 season.
Daniels, the former LSU standout who was the second overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, was taking almost all of the first-team snaps, and started both of the Commanders’ preseason games so far. Marcus Mariota, the former first-round pick, didn’t play last weekend against the Miami Dolphins due to a hamstring injury, but nobody, it sounds like, in the reports we’re getting seriously believes that impacted this decision.
So far this preseason, Daniels is 12-of-15 for 123 yards. Coach Dan Quinn, in his first year with the Commanders as well, having served as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator for the last few seasons, named Daniels the starter on Monday.
- Along the same lines, the Las Vegas Raiders – specifically, coach Antonio Pierce – named Gardner Minshew their starting quarterback on Monday.
Minshew, 28, who came over to the Raiders as a free agent from the Indianapolis Colts, beat out Aidan O’Connell.
It’ll be Minshew’s sixth season. He’s on his fourth team already.
In the team’s two preseason games, Minshew has completed 16-of-33 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. O’Connell is 21-of-29 for 172 yards, a touchdown and an interception that was taken back for a defensive touchdown.
The Raiders open the season on the road at the L.A. Chargers.
- Tampa Bay released outside linebacker Randy Gregory on Sunday, after Gregory never showed for training camp.
Gregory, who has a discrimination lawsuit filed against both the NFL and the Denver Broncos, also has missed two preseason games.
Gregory’s lawsuit alleges that the NFL and the team would not allow him to use dronabinol, a drug Gregory says a doctor prescribed him to use for social anxiety disorder.
Gregory had already been fined $1.37 million by Tampa Bay for his missed time.
