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Commanders Urged To Re-Sign Jayden Daniels' 'Binky'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated Feb 5, 2025 9:20 AM ET

The Washington Commanders' first season under the guidance of rookie Jayden Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn was a successful one by any metric you want to use.

Yes, they fell one game short, but making it to the NFC Championship game as a 12-5 team after only winning four games the previous season is a serious improvement.

But the Commanders now can't rest on their laurels. They need to attack the offseason with the same vigor as they did a year ago.

And for NFL.com, that means bringing back Daniels' ultimate security blanket that he often turned to in times of need - Zach Ertz.

“Year 2 is no time to take away Jayden Daniels' binky," NFL.com writes. "Ertz proved he still has some spry years left, catching 66 passes for 654 yards and seven touchdowns. No one is confusing the 34-year-old with Brock Bowers, but Ertz's ability to get open against linebackers and be precisely where Daniels needs him, especially in the red zone and on key downs, is priceless. The Commanders should have no plans on letting him play elsewhere."

Ertz, at the ripe old age of 34, had his best season since 2021, totaling 654 yards and seven touchdowns (both second-best on the roster behind Terry McLaurin).

Plus, his last game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game, Ertz was unstoppable, catching 11 passes for 104 yards as Daniels looked his way and often.

He signed a one-year, $3 million deal last offseason, and one would imagine something similar this time around, with Spotrac.com having Zach's market value at $5.3 million APY.

That more than fits into the salary cap pie, and based on his production and connection with Daniels, one more go-around for the veteran seems logical.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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