Just 2 years into his NFL career, no one thought this was where Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels would be at this point.
Daniels, just 2 years in, is already staring down what seems like a make-or-break season in 2026, and 1 year after being anointed as the NFL’s next great franchise quarterback.
All of this comes after a sophomore season in which Daniels and Washington’s offense both got exposed — him for being injury-prone and the offense for being behind the times.
After missing 10 games due to injuries in 2025, Daniels has a new offensive coordinator in David Blough, but the talent around him hasn’t improved significantly.
SB Nation’s Jarrett Bailey predicts none of it will matter as Daniels shows he’s transcendent and adds some more hardware following the season as the NFL Comeback Player of the Year to go alongside his NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year trophy.
“Daniels reminds everyone that he is one of the best young quarterbacks in football, throwing 26 touchdowns and adding seven on the ground to just nine interceptions as he leads Washington back to the playoffs,” Bailey wrote on July 22.
Jayden Daniels Loses Status Among NFL Elite
In terms of expectations vs. reality, what the Washington Commanders put on the field in 2025 was truly something to behold.
The Commanders went into the season as Super Bowl contenders after making a run to the NFC Championship Game in 2024. They left with the impression they might be 1 of the worst teams in the NFL after a 5-12 regular season.
That downfall was reflected in ESPN’s annual position rankings, where Daniels was bumped from the Top 10, going from No. 5 headed into the 2025 season to an honorable mention selection in 2026.
The rankings, as voted on by NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, still doled out some praise for Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“I know he was hurt (in 2025), but I think this is the year he really makes his stamp and he’s the guy we’re all talking about as having taken the next step,” one anonymous NFL executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Such a good decision-maker and very accurate.”
Jayden Daniels No Longer Seems Like Top-Tier QB
One year ago, Daniels was being talked about as a dark horse NFL MVP candidate.
You won’t hear any of that talk headed into 2026.
Once considered the very best of the 6 quarterbacks selected in the 1st round in 2024, Daniels now finds himself looking up at Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix — even after Nix’s fractured ankle — and just ahead of 2 quarterbacks who probably won’t even start for their teams this season in J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes the injury issues that led to Daniels missing 10 regular-season games in 2025 will resurface in 2026.
“Jayden Daniels’ first two seasons have been polar opposites,” Davenport wrote on June 27. “The first was outstanding — over 3,500 passing yards, 25 passing scores, the second-most rushing yards among quarterbacks in the league (891). Last year, however, was far different. Daniels’ per-game passing numbers fell precipitously just about across the board and Daniels played in just seven games due to knee and elbow injuries. Frankly, Daniels’ downturn in passing efficiency and the lack of big-time additions to the Washington passing game may be the biggest concerns of all with the youngster this year. Daniels averaged almost 30 fewer passing yards per game last year compared to 2024. If that’s the case, there will be that much more pressure on Daniels to do damage with his legs. And it could be just a matter of time before he lands on the shelf again.”
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