Bears made mistake not drafting Commanders' Jayden Daniels for No. 1 pick

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels may have been the No. 1 pick if the 2024 season played a role in deciding things.

Oct 27, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) reaches for a first down but is short during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Washington Commanders are glad to have Jayden Daniels as their quarterback, and they have the Chicago Bears to thank.

The Bears could have taken Daniels with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they opted for Caleb Williams.

ESPN conducted a 2024 re-draft, where Daniels went No. 1 and Williams was taken at No. 2.

Should Daniels have gone No. 1?

"This was a tough one because the Bears love Williams, and if Daniels played with the Bears' struggling offensive line and interim coaching staff, this pick might be reversed. But Daniels took a four-win team to the NFC Championship Game, turning in one of the best seasons ever by a rookie quarterback. He finished fourth in Total QBR (70.5); Williams ranked 28th (46.8)," ESPN insider Courtney Cronin writes.

It's still early for Williams and Daniels in their careers, and the former could see improvement with a new head coach in Ben Johnson taking over for the Bears.

However, if things go along the trajectory that this year started, Daniels will be the better choice when it's all said and done.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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