Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels wants more

ASHBURN, Va. – With the NFL regular season fast approaching, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is eager to begin his next act.

For the rest of the league, that’s a daunting prospect.

As part of his smashing debut last season, Daniels led the Commanders to their first NFC Championship Game appearance in 33 years. Spurred by that success, the 2024 Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year entered the preseason confident, focused and determined to take his team even higher.

Formerly long-suffering Commanders fans are ecstatic about the 24-year-old star, believing he will play a key role in restoring the once-admired franchise to prominence.

Head coach Dan Quinn isn’t one to argue.

Quinn had the good fortune of joining the organization in the same year as Daniels. To this point, their partnership has gone swimmingly. No matter what concerns Quinn faces while managing Washington’s roster, seeing Daniels behind center is calming for him.

And the face of the franchise is only getting better.

“He’s really on it,” Quinn said before practice Tuesday at the Commanders’ facility. “Now, you see other levels of [Daniels] making others better.”

Often, Daniels will say, “This is what I saw [on a play], this is the correct spot, [to make] a change of protection,” Quinn added. “Now, he’s able to help develop others and help them fulfill what they [can] be. That’s a big deal.”

Throughout the Commanders’ offseason program, training camp and the preseason, Daniels has been more communicative with teammates than he was while dipping his toe in the water as a rookie. Clearly, Quinn said, Daniels’ newfound assertiveness is the result of his eye-opening performance.

Daniels has matured into a tone-setter in a manner that “you’re not quite able to do … your first day on the job,” Quinn continued. “You gain street cred by your performance, by the things that you do. People trust him.

“And so [when Daniels says], ‘Hey man, this is what I see. This is where the ball would go.’ As a teammate, OK, we wanna hear that information because that’s giving you feedback. [Daniels is saying], ‘This is what I need to do to help you in this spot.’ [He’s] making others better just by his communication and the way he’s leading.”

Last season, Daniels – the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner while playing for LSU – steadily earned the confidence of the locker room as much because of his consistency as his late-game heroics. In fact, he authored so many signature moments. It’s hard to rank most of them.

Of course, one stands out.

Undoubtedly, when picking the best, most Commanders fans would point to Daniels’ 52-yard desperation pass to Noah Brown as time expired in an 18-15 Week 8 victory over the visiting Chicago Bears. Instantly, the play became part of franchise lore.

During the NFC wild-card round, Daniels orchestrated a game-winning drive, leading the visiting Commanders over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was Washington’s first postseason victory since 2005.

In the divisional round, the visiting Commanders upset the top-seeded Detroit Lions. Then, Washington played for the NFC championship for the first time since the 1991-92 season. Although the visiting Commanders were routed 55-23 by the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles, they made a statement during their surprising playoff run. Finally, the Commanders have a star at the most important position in sports.

But Daniels isn’t interested in looking backward. His eyes are locked on the road ahead.

“It’s a prove-it thing every year,” Daniels told Andscape. “This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business. Because of that, last year really doesn’t matter. I know I can play at this level. But I also have to go out there and continuously prove it.

“And doing that is really doing a combination of everything. It’s [improving] in the pre-snap process. It’s reading [the defense] faster. It’s about doing it better mechanically. It’s about leadership. It’s about learning the offense more in depth. All of it.”

Quinn and Daniels assess Daniels’ growth similarly.

“Last year … you’re trying to get your feet wet. You don’t really know what to feel or what you’re getting yourself into,” Daniels said. “Then, you get more comfortable week in and week out.

“And then it’s like, ‘OK. I understand. I’ve been through a season.’ But it’s still gonna be different for me this season. I still have to go out there and prepare the right way. I still have to play the game the right way.”

For now, Daniels is working without his favorite target.

In a contract dispute with the Commanders, All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin has requested a trade. Officially, McLaurin, who is under contract for the upcoming season, is on the physically unable to perform list because of an ankle injury.

Without commenting on the business aspect of McLaurin’s situation, Daniels was nonetheless supportive of his teammate, saying he hopes the standout wideout is “back out here soon. Real soon.”

After finishing a step short of the Super Bowl last season, the Commanders understand that they’ve raised expectations among their fans. No one needs to explain that to Daniels.

“You definitely understand it. You get it,” Daniels said. “But I really have to stay focused on my effort, what I can control and how I play. I have to stay focused on what I can do.”

For someone so young, Daniels has accomplished a lot already. The Commanders – and their opponents – have every reason to believe he’s capable of so much more.