Jayden Daniels didn't deliver the smoothest encore to a stellar rookie season. The Washington Commanders quarterback will look to once again show he's one of the NFL's brightest young stars in 2026. After steering the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game as the Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels played just seven games last season.
His QBR dipped from 67.7 to 44.7, and Washington followed an exciting 12-5 season by going 5-12. As injuries stalled Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner watched fellow quarterbacks from his 2024 NFL Draft class (Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, Bo Nix) reach the playoffs. Daniels gave props to his peers when setting a goal to bounce back this season.
"Out of sight, out of mind," Daniels said of his down year, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. "A lot of people, what they last saw was me getting hurt, so what can I say? I can’t live off of what was done in ’24.
Obviously, salute to the other guys in my class. Hopefully, down the line, we can go down as the greatest QB class. I know we have a long way to go, but shout out to them, honestly.
"So I have a chance, when I get out there, in Week 1, to showcase my talents once again, and remind a lot of people." After the 2024 season, most onlookers would have picked Daniels as the best quarterback from the 2024 class. However, that sentiment has shifted after Maye led the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl and Williams showed immense upside with several highlight plays in key moments. Daniels will aim to rebound behind David Blough, who was promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason.
The 25-year-old is excited to run a new scheme that he sees as a great fit. "I’m a passer before I’m a runner. God just blessed me with legs, and the ability to do both.
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