Will Jayden Daniels' Commanders Sequel Be Better Than Original?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Adam Schultz | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 8:51 AM ET

Washington Commanders' quarterback Jayden Daniels had one of the best rookie seasons we've seen, and now, as he enters Year 2, the expectations are through the roof.

After a 12-win regular season and two playoff wins, that is quite the bar to not only reach again but to clear, and for Daniels, that is the task in front of him and his team in 2025.

The biggest question is whether he can avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, which continues to claim quarterbacks. If he can, then the Commanders will be in business as a genuine Super Bowl contender.

If not, who knows how the season will look, but for Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox, Daniels has all the tools to continue his ascension.

"With another offseason under his belt and an improved offensive cast (on paper, anyway), Daniels could be in store for the sort of second-year jump that NFL signal-callers often make," Knox writes. "Considering how great the 24-year-old was last season, that might be enough to put the Commanders firmly in the Super Bowl conversation."

The signings of Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil will no doubt raise the floor for Kliff Kingsbury's offense...but only if they can be the Pro Bowl-caliber players the Commanders signed them to be.

If they are, two key positions have been significantly upgraded to allow Daniels to do what he does best - tear defenses apart.

However, it won't be all smooth sailing, with all 31 other NFL teams having the chance to break down Jayden's game and study him to find a weakness. If there is one, defenses will find it, and it will be there that we will see if Daniels can continue playing at a high level.

Nothing suggests to us that he won't, but then again, many thought that about C.J. Stroud last year, didn't they?

Is Jayden a different beast? We think so and if the Commanders are to go on a deep playoff run, Daniels will be a big reason why.

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

More must-reads: