Jayden Daniels took the league by storm in 2024. The Rookie of the Year winner led his team to the NFC Championship Game, and it seemed like Daniels was on pace to dominate the league for the next decade-plus.
Unfortunately, Daniels had multiple injuries in 2025, as did many of his teammates, and the Washington Commanders ended up suffering a losing season. However, the hope is that last season was just a temporary setback, and the team will return to contention in 2026. If that does happen, it will almost certainly be due to Daniels playing at an elite level once again.
Many people still believe in Daniels. NFL.com’s Dan Parr recently identified some dark horse MVP candidates, and he included Daniels near the top of his list. Regarding Daniels’ case, Parr offered the following:
After an injury-plagued 2025 season, everyone’s waiting to see how he will get off the mat. Washington’s running a new offense coordinated by 30-year-old former QB David Blough, who will ask Daniels to take more snaps from under center. I won’t blame the third-year passer if the burden feels heavy.
When healthy, he has the potential to be one of the most electric playmakers in the game. If the Commanders are playoff contenders come December, it will be because Daniels is playing out of his mind.
After an injury-plagued 2025 season, everyone’s waiting to see how he will get off the mat. Washington’s running a new offense coordinated by 30-year-old former QB David Blough, who will ask Daniels to take more snaps from under center. I won’t blame the third-year passer if the burden feels heavy.
When healthy, he has the potential to be one of the most electric playmakers in the game. If the Commanders are playoff contenders come December, it will be because Daniels is playing out of his mind.
As Parr mentioned, Daniels has a new offensive coordinator, and he will likely be asked to be more of a pocket passer. Daniels has a great arm, though, and that could possibly help him stay healthy. We’ve seen how good Daniels is when he’s healthy and protected, so it makes sense to consider him here.
The only concerning thing is the quarterback’s weapons. Terry McLaurin is still a quality No. 1 option, and new tight end Chig Okonkwo is exciting. However, there’s not much else to be excited about unless rookie Antonio Williams contributes immediately.
The Commanders should definitely be better on defense, though, which will take some pressure off of Daniels. If Daniels can replicate his 2024 season and the defense is improved, the Commanders will certainly be capable of contending, and it won’t be surprising to see Daniels mentioned for many awards.
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