Jayden Daniels essentially put a moratorium on discussing 2025 during Washington’s offseason program. The Commanders quarterback was done rehashing a sophomore NFL season where he missed 10 games and finished only four, a disappointing encore to his rookie-of-the-year campaign in 2024.
While he has long-since been done with it, the page is formally turning.
All focus is on its follow-up, which begins on Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia.
“What I did in Year 1 and what I did in Year 2 doesn’t
matter,” Daniels told on-site reporters during a press conference after Wednesday’s practice. “That’s what people are going to talk about – recency bias and all that – Year 2 is what it is. Now we’re on to Year 3. Whatever happens on Sunday will be what people talk about more than Year 2.”
The criticism Daniels faced was more about availability than talent or performance, with the same pre-draft detractors wondering if his frame plus playing style could regularly weather the rigors of an NFL campaign.
There’s little doubting Daniels’ passing accuracy or anticipation or scrambling/rushing ability. He has proved adept at those things in NFL games. Observers have alsolauded Daniels’ ability to execute David Blough’s new offenseand its pro-style, under-center requirements over the course of training camp.
So many of these national season previews are questioning whether Daniels can be a top NFL quarterback, especially if Washington struggles to protect him.
Daniels understands that previous success and talent brings heightened scrutiny when things don’t go right.
“It comes with the territory,” Daniels said. “I was blessed enough to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. As a kid you dream of that but you know what actually comes with it. Having some success in this league brings more attention and you stay grounded, protect your peace of mind and focus on one-day-at-a-time.”
That approach has led to an excellent summer. The Commanders know that. The coaching staff knows that, too. Few others have seen it live, which leads to an unevenness with how Washington’s perceived from the outside.
There are fair questions about the state of the offensive line after Laremy Tunsil’s injury. We still haven’t seen the Commanders run – Bill Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White didn’t play in the preseason – and there’s little known about how Blough will call a game.
Daniels understands his role on this particular team, with a deep receiver corps and tight-end room, perfectly explained with a basketball analogy.
“It’s about being a point guard, getting the ball to the playmakers in space and letting them do their thing,” Daniels said. “When it’s time for me to go get a bucket, I’ll go do that sometimes. That’s how I look at it.”
It’s now time to play it out, starting in Week 1 and against a quality Eagles team while playing on the road. We’ve all talked enough. It’s time to go play.
“It’s an exciting time,” Daniels said. “Football is back. … Just go out there and try to execute at a high level. They’ve got really good players over there. We’ve got good players over here, too. It’s going to be a hard-fought game.”
