Jayden Daniels was selected as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season with the Washington Commanders. He regressed in year two, but this can partially be explained by his missing 10 games due to injury.
His former coach recently commented on the situation and outlined a plan for him to address during the offseason.
Jayden Daniels’ Plan to Avoid Injuries Revealed
Daniels had an incredible rookie season with the Commanders, including a run to the NFC Championship game. Maybe most importantly, he avoided any major injuries on his way to appearing in every game.
The following season was very different, as he played in only 7 games and posted a 2-5 record. Injuries were a big part of the story, and mainly a dislocated elbow. His former quarterbacks coach, Ryan Porter, was recently asked about Daniels’ plan to avoid extended absences going forward.
“I think Jayden’s big thing for the offseason this year is just to put on some more body armor,” Porter said. “I think he’s trying to, you know, just get a little bit bigger, faster, stronger, put on some more lean muscle.”
“So, I think that’s been more of his focus, like, let me get my body right,” he added. “I think from a mechanical standpoint, there’s not much that he really needs to focus on that’s new. Jayden’s skill set and what he’s been doing since he’s been in high school through college, he mechanically is top three in the NFL.”
#Commanders QB Jayden Daniels main offseason focus per his QB coach Ryan Porter:
“Put on some more body armor … put on some more lean muscle”
(🎥:@john_keim) pic.twitter.com/Hv2WDDlsbJ
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) February 23, 2026
Porter had high praise for the Commanders’ quarterback, calling him potentially the best passer in the NFL. He expanded on their awareness that he’s competing against bigger, stronger players, so he will need to bulk up a bit and wear more protection.
Surprisingly, Daniels’ mother, Regina Jackson, had an issue with Porter’s comments. “This is not his QB coach and hasn’t been since high school,” she wrote on X. “Jayden trains with Taylor Kelly from 3DQB. Smh. Please stop giving him a platform to speak.”
Daniels initially dislocated his elbow around the midway point in the 2025 NFL season, and after returning in Week 14, he aggravated the ailment and was shut down for the remainder of the year. Porter has no concerns about his overall abilities, but acknowledged that he can only be useful if he can stay on the field.
In addition to being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, he also finished fifth among all quarterbacks in PFSN’s QB Impact Rankings. He fell all the way to 28th in his second season, but his limited availability surely played a major role in the decline. Porter believes he will bounce back and continue to thrive when healthy, and the Commanders are obviously hoping he’s right.
