Oct 20, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) walks off the field during the first quarter after an injury against the Carolina Panthers at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Amber Searls-Imagn Images

What no one wants to imagine for the Commanders in 2025

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 2:00 PM ET

We recently talked about CBS Sports' 'best-case scenario' for the Washington Commanders.

Well, anytime you talk best, you inevitably have to talk worst, and Cody Benjamin did just that in the same column he labeled a Super Bowl championship as the ceiling for this year's Commanders squad.

So, what is the floor? Honestly, it is something we are just superstitious enough not to want to put in print, so we'll just let Benjamin identify the worst-case scenario for Washington in his own words.

"Daniels' do-it-all gifts come with a cost, as the dual threat can't stay on the field to meet lofty Year 2 expectations, and Dan Quinn is subsequently left to lean on aging placeholders as the rival Eagles stay rolling," is the floor for the Commanders this year, according to Benjamin.

The problem here is, Benjamin is correct. As with most NFL teams, the thought of Washington losing its starting quarterback is indeed the worst-case scenario.

Fortunately, the team does have Marcus Mariota, who many consider to be one of the best backups in the league today. We'd be hard pressed to not have him at the top of that list, but certainly open to the idea some others would have a case to make for claiming that spot themselves.

In three games last year Mariota completed nearly 80 percent of his passes and tossed four touchdowns while not turning the ball over once. He even orchestrated a thrilling fourth quarter comeback over the hated Dallas Cowboys.

While all three of his games came against teams that didn't even sniff the playoffs last year, that's still a high level of performance to witness for a quarterback coming off the bench cold without the benefit of a week's worth of starting reps in practice and a gameplan modeled to his specific traits and abilities.

Would Washington still be considered a Super Bowl contender were this scenario to unfold? Not likely. However, nobody expected the Commanders to do what they did, even with Daniels, last year, and Mariota wouldn't be the first no-chance quarterback to come in and prove to everyone yet again that if the entire team is pulling in the same direction, there's no telling what they can accomplish.