Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Jayden Daniels is set to end a decade-long Commanders QB embarrassment

Originally posted on Riggo's Rag | By Ryan McCafferty | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Following three years of high-quality quarterback play from Kirk Cousins in 2018, the Washington Commanders elected to let their franchise signal-caller walk while trading for Alex Smith. This spiraled into a prolonged period of turbulence at football's most crucial position.

Until now.

Cousins' departure was years in the making. Contract negotiations were never on the same page with the former Michigan State standout, and it proved to be the mistake that set the team back for years to come.

Just how costly was Washington's decision to move on from Cousins? For the next seven seasons, the team would never feature the same Week 1 starting quarterback as the year prior.

Finally, Jayden Daniels has changed that.

Jayden Daniels' rise highlights Commanders' futile run of quarterback ineptitude

This year is the first since 2017 in which the Commanders have the same starting QB as the year prior.

2015-17: Kirk Cousins
'18: Alex Smith
'19: Case Keenum
'20: Dwayne Haskins
'21: Ryan Fitzpatrick
'22: Carson Wentz
'23: Sam Howell
'24: Jayden Daniels
'25: Jayden Daniels
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 4, 2025

The list of Commanders quarterbacks between 2018 and 2023 is a masterclass in how to mismanage a franchise. Aside from the late Dwayne Haskins and 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell, every name above was a desperate attempt to boost a mediocre roster into win-now mode by acquiring a journeyman veteran. Each move failed spectacularly.

Some of this was also a matter of horrible luck. Most obviously, no one could have foreseen Smith's devastating leg injury against the Houston Texans in 2018, at which point Washington had previously been 6-3 and in contention for a playoff spot. Ryan Fitzpatrick also suffered a season-ending hip injury in Week 1 of the 2021 season, with the team looking to capitalize on a division title the year before.

A number of the moves — most notably the trade for Carson Wentz — were befuddling from the start. The Commanders never even attempted to develop a long-term answer at the position. Even Haskins, a first-round pick, only got 13 career starts before he was deemed damaged goods.

It can be argued that Washington's best quarterback between Cousins' departure and Daniels' arrival was someone who never even began a season as the starter: Taylor Heinicke. The undrafted Old Dominion product was under center for the team's playoff game in 2020 and played significant chunks of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, becoming a cult hero within both the locker room and the fanbase with his gritty underdog mentality.

Howell finally became Washington's first signal-caller since Cousins to start every game in a season. He had his moments despite what ultimately became a disastrous campaign for the team. Given all the holes on the Commanders' roster, there was even reason to suggest giving him another shot while focusing on improving other areas before investing in a prized quarterback selection.

Alas, Washington took Daniels, and the rest is history.

The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year still has plenty more to prove. But at the very least, he has finally given the Commanders someone to build around.