Long time Commanders fan here. Daniels was better at sliding in his first game than RG3 was a year in. He has learned to avoid unnecessary contact very well. He's also bigger than RG3, and a better passer, both of which help.
He’s exceptional at avoiding contact outside the pocket. He knows how to protect his body…on runs, anyway. He’s a little too willing to take big shots in the pocket to make big plays
No arguments there. A big part of the problem with the hits he takes - too many, I agree - is that the Commanders don't yet have a functional run game. Daniels functionally serves as QB1/RB1. That's a *huge* problem that they have to address in the offseason.
The league has also continued to clamp down on hits to quarterbacks when they become runners. Daniels is certainly better at avoiding contact than RGIII, but it was also the case back then that running the ball often meant you were getting hit no matter what you did.
The dynamics of why that was are too complicated for a post, but I think often about all the great dual threat guys who got winnowed down into good/mediocre pocket passers because it just wasn't worth regularly putting them at risk as runners. They'd all be feasting today.
And yeah, the scrambling will always be in his back pocket but it’s his poise and accuracy that sets him apart. Even if he got an RG3-style knee injury he’d have the passing ability to fall back on (which RG3 didn’t since he sucked at intermediate routes as soon as teams weren’t scared of his legs)
I can’t stress enough: he is *carrying* this offense. He has exactly one good teammate on that side of the ball (McLaurin, who looks like he’s in love any time you see them together). There are no other good receivers, RBs are trash, o-line sucks, and Zach Ertz is the closest thing they have to a TE
there was one specific person on twitter that i followed that would do that weekly for wrestling content but i don't know if they're here on bluesky, Dx
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Tbf he also protects himself on scrambles way better than RG3 ever did
And … outweighs Lamar?! Insane.