Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws during the second quarter of a NFC wild card playoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Trade value revealed for Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders are excited to have Jayden Daniels as their quarterback for the future.

Daniels cemented his status as the team's franchise signal-caller in his rookie season and he shouldn't be traded anytime soon, if ever.

Nonetheless, ESPN insider Bill Barnwell thinks the Commanders should ask for four first-round picks if they were to trade Daniels.

Daniels among NFL's biggest bargains

"While nobody doubts what Daniels did last season, he has done it only once, as opposed to Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, who have been MVP candidates for most of their careers. There are still teams that would hesitate to invest in him because of his slight frame, and there's always a concern that a quarterback who had so much success scrambling and creating on fourth down might not be able to keep that up. Maybe that side thinks Daniels is worth two first-round picks," Barnwell wrote.

"... Crucially, while Mahomes, Allen and Jackson are all on significant contracts, Daniels is in the second season of his four-year, $37.7 million rookie deal. With the Commanders already having paid his signing bonus, they'll pay him $2.5 million in 2025 and $4.3 million in 2026 before he is even eligible for an extension. He might be one of the league's two or three biggest bargains while playing the most important position in sports. Is that worth five first-round picks? Six? Seven? The answer is "too many," so I tried to strike a middle ground."

The Commanders shouldn't trade Daniels even if they got 10 first-round picks, but the team would be absolutely moronic to move on from the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. It isn't even close to the realm of possibility.

It's nice to see what a price would cost though, because it puts a number on the value of his worth.

This exercise proved that Daniels is one of the most valuable, if not the most, valuable player in the league.