The Washington Commanders saw significant changes this offseason, and it’s unclear whether quarterback Jayden Daniels can succeed. Washington was considered a Super Bowl contender after a stellar 2024 campaign; however, a collapse in 2025 led the team to transition to a new system this offseason. Many, nonetheless, are skeptical of the new coaching staff.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh Uncertain About Commanders’ Hiring of David Blough for Jayden Daniels
Daniels will have a couple of new weapons on offense this season, as the Commanders added running back Rachaad White and wide receivers Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson. They also selected wide receiver Antonio Williams with the 71st overall pick in this year’s draft.
Brown spent his initial years in the NFL with the Commanders before a one-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. Jefferson, on the other hand, first earned acclaim as a deep threat in Sean McVay’s high-octane offense in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, White has largely spent his career in committee backfields with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While there is a lot of potential to exploit with these new weapons, the fact that Washington will have a rookie play-caller on the sideline might stifle its success. The franchise promoted assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough to offensive coordinator following Kliff Kingsbury’s departure, much to experts’ skepticism.
Former Pro Bowler T.J. Houshmandzadeh raised concerns about the Commanders’ OC during a segment on “Speakeasy.”
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“Now, at least for me, the only uncertainty that I’ll have is you have a new offensive coordinator that has never called plays before,” he said. “And so, that would be the only thing that will make me say, uh, I’m kind of just curious of how this will play out.”
Blough served as a career backup quarterback in the NFL from 2019 to 2023, mostly for the Detroit Lions, before starting his coaching career with the Commanders. The 30-year-old has never called a play in the pros, and Houshmandzadeh is skeptical of how smooth the transition from Kingsbury to Blough will be.
“If Kingsbury was still the OC, I would say they’re going to hit the ground running,” Houshmandzadeh added. “I don’t know how he’s going to be calling plays… Offensively, the guy calling plays, I just don’t know. Now, I’m certain in Jayden Daniels, but I ain’t certain in the guy that’s going to be in that earpiece about 50 to 60 times a game telling him what to call.”
📊 Fantasy football redraft QB rankings, per PFN’s Fantasy Sports HQ:
1. Josh Allen, Bills
2. Drake Maye, Patriots
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
4. Joe Burrow, Bengals
5. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
6. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
7. Jaxson Dart, Giants
8. Justin Herbert, Chargers
9. Dak… pic.twitter.com/BfnKjv9CYG— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) June 16, 2026
Daniels had a lot of success in his rookie season of 2024 with Kingsbury in his ear. Booking 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions (86.9 PFSN QB Impact score), he drove Washington within one game of a Super Bowl appearance.
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Whether the third-year quarterback can reclaim those heights under Blough will be intriguing to watch.
