The NFL season is just weeks away, and the Washington Commanders are hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 5-12 campaign in 2025.
Star quarterback Jayden Daniels led Washington to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie in 2024, but injuries limited him to just eight games last season.
Ahead of the new season, former NFL head coach and current Barstool Sports personality Jon Gruden broke down what he wants to see from Daniels and predicted a big comeback for the third-year quarterback.
Gruden’s Breakdown of Daniels
Gruden said he believes Daniels is coming back “with a vengeance” after an injury-plagued season.
“Let’s talk about Jayden Daniels. Everyone knows about his rookie season. 3,600 yards, he set a rookie record with 890 yards rushing. Rookie record for 69% complete. Last year, he got hurt. He hurt his hamstring, he hurt his elbow, he hurt his knee. He got beat up. And I get the feeling he had a real bad taste in his mouth. You think Jayden Daniels likes sitting on the sideline? I think he’s got a chip on his shoulder, I think he’s going to come out firing,” Gruden said.
“His energy, his leadership, his style of play, man. He’s accurate short, he’s accurate deep, he can just make [explicit] happen when nothing’s there.
“He scrambles a lot. Thirteen percent of his dropbacks as a rookie, he took off and ran. Last year he took off and ran on 15% of his dropbacks. I hope he starts transitioning into a Steve Young quarterback,” Gruden added. “Win in the pocket, win in the pocket… and then if there’s nothing there we resort to scrambling.”
Jayden Daniels is coming back with a vengeance after his injury last season… I just hope he limits the amount of hits he takes throughout the season! pic.twitter.com/aIBqEuIkF4
â Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) August 6, 2026
Commanders’ 2026 Offense
Washington boasts plenty of talent on offense and added another notable piece on Wednesday by agreeing to a deal with wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Diggs and Terry McLaurin will headline the Commanders’ receiving corps for Daniels, while the backfield is expected to take a major step forward behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who sits atop the depth chart. Veteran Rachaad White, whom Washington acquired during the offseason, is listed as the No. 2 running back.
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