Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels drops back to pass against the Minnesota Vikings. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

What Jayden Daniels’ second season really told the Commanders

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 20, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders are officially looking at life without Jayden Daniels as he has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an elbow injury.

Most of Daniel's second season in the league was spent on the sidelines as he was dealing with several entries throughout the season. After a successful first year with Washington leading them all the way to the NFC championship, the team found out what life could be like with Daniels. This year, they may have fallen back down to earth and gotten a little closer to reality.

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Daniels' second season gives Commanders clarity

It's no surprise that the Commanders struggled to win football games when Daniels wasn't on the field. They also realize that they needed to do more to protect Daniels, both in terms of the offensive line and in terms of the tactics and strategies he uses to protect himself.

This was why they drafted Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the NFL Draft and why they traded for Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans. Even though the Commanders upgraded their tackles, it wasn't enough to keep Daniels healthy and on the field.

The Commanders have learned this season what they already knew: Daniels is their guy. They just need to do a better job making sure he stays on the field.

The Commanders also need to realize that teams will catch up in figuring out how to game plan against him. Even when Daniels was on the field at times, he looked like a shell of himself from a year ago. That was expected to happen, as it does with most rookie quarterbacks that experience success. Now the Commanders can pivot and counter with their own adjustments.

If the Commanders can go back to the drawing board this offseason and find ways for Daniels to get better, the team should be back in position to contend for a spot in the playoffs next season.

In the meantime, the Commanders will go into action against the Philadelphia Eagles for the first time since the NFC Championship last season. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET inside Northwest Stadium. Fans can watch the game on Fox or streaming on the Fox One app.