Commanders Cut Former Star College QB Prior To Week 6
10/10/2024 06:30 PM
The Washington Commanders have been one of the NFL's best surprises through the first few weeks of the season, and that's largely due to the play of No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels.
Daniels is the frontrunner for the NFL's offensive rookie of the year award, and the Commanders enter Week 6 with an impressive 4-1 record.
They'll take on another one of the league's best teams in the Baltimore Ravens this week, setting up a showdown between Daniels and two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, a player he's often been compared to.
One other notable college quarterback won't be with the Commanders for Week 6, as he was released from their roster on Thursday.
The Commanders released rookie quarterback Sam Hartman, ending his tenure with the team after joining as an undrafted free agent this summer.
Hartman played five years at Wake Forest, setting several records at the school and within the ACC. He transferred to Notre Dame for his final college season, going 9-3 for the Irish in his last year.
Hartman is fourth all-time in total offense among NCAA FBS players, trailing only Case Keenum (Houston), Bo Nix (Auburn/Oregon) and Timmy Chang (Hawaii). He has the most touchdown passes in ACC history, and also has the most 300-yard passing games in conference history.
With Hartman off the roster, the Commanders appear to be content with another Heisman trophy winner as their backup quarterback for Jayden Daniels.
Marcus Mariota, who won the award at Oregon, is a well-traveled, veteran backup who can do many of the same things Daniels can as a runner. Hartman's skillset was more tailored to a traditional offense, and it seems that Mariota is a better fit in the event of Daniels being unable to play.
The Commanders will look to gain another big win this season as they look for their first playoff berth since the 2020 season. The franchise hasn't won a playoff game since the 2005 season, when they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round.
The future seems bright in Washington, but we'll have to find out where Hartman continues his professional career after his release from the Commanders.
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