A bad time to be Lorenzo Alexander, a Pro Bowl LB here in Washington who is now covering the Cardinals out in Arizona…but a good time, too, as he’s watching the current iteration of his old team do their thing.
“It’s been fun; I don’t get to watch the Commanders as much as I’d like to, but I saw last week what they did to the Cardinals – I think this offense has evolved and really built on itself,” Alexander said. “Kliff has grown, and they have guys who are really helping him see the game differently with their balance, and to have a young guy like Jayden Daniels step in and take advantage of what he's been given? He makes big boy throws at such a young age, and having seen him play out here at ASU and then win the Heisman, it’s fun. Kind of reminds me of what RG3 did in DC when he first got there, but now it's about longevity and consistency and how you grow as people change and try to figure out what your weaknesses are, because now you have those first four weeks, how do you finish your season?”
Alexander did see Daniels with the Sun Devils and knows first-hand why Jayden was criticized for taking some big hits in college – but he’s seen enough already at the NFL level to know Jayden has grown.
“Some guys are built for it, man; they may look slim but are tough-minded, gritty dudes. You can’t take a ton of hits, but he took one versus the Bengals and popped right back up and went about his business,” Alexander said. “But I think his greatest attribute that he's doing really well right now is he’s playing with confidence. Very decisive where he’s going with the ball, and if it’s not there, he’s taking off and giving you 10 yards, and that’s deflating to a defense. When you’re able to convert third downs and stay ahead of the sticks, it’s really good for your confidence. His ability to be so efficient early on, if he just continues trust what he sees, he's gonna be fine.
When you hear him speak, he’s very mature and humble, and you know he’s a professional by the way he's working.”
Take a listen above to Alexander’s entire visit, where he goes into the differences of Kliff Kingsbury’s offense between DC and Arizona, NFL health and safety issues, and more!