The Washington Commanders have made it a point this offseason to support rookie sensation Jayden Daniels, who led the franchise to its first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991 last season.
They’ve brought in stalwart left tackle Laremy Tunsil to help protect the quarterback’s blindside, and they traded for do-everything wideout Deebo Samuel Sr. to give Terry McLaurin a star running mate in the passing game.
Now, they’re bringing in a journeyman quarterback who has some ties to Washington, D.C., to give a veteran voice to the QB room, which should only help aid Daniels’ rapid development.
Commanders Sign Josh Johnson as Backup to Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota
Washington already has a dynamic backup quarterback in Marcus Mariota, whom they re-signed earlier in the offseason. However, there’s always value in having a dependable third-stringer, and the Commanders have found their man for the job. According to The Athletic’s Ben Standig, Josh Johnson is coming back to the nation’s capital after seven years away.
Reunion: The Commanders are signing QB Josh Johnson to a 1-year contract, per source.
The ultimate NFL journeyman played four games – three starts – for Washington in 2018. Umpteen teams later, he's back as a potential third-string backup for Jayden Daniels.
.— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) April 11, 2025
Johnson has had a wild NFL career, which began as a fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2008 NFL Draft.
After failing to stick in Florida, Johnson held stints with the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals before disappearing from the league for a half-decade, only to resurface with the Commanders in 2018.
In that season, Johnson started three games for Washington, completing 57.1% of his passes for 590 yards and more interceptions (four) than touchdowns (three). Despite the porous performance, Johnson stabilized a wilting QB room, and after two more years away from the league, he was given jobs with the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens (twice), and San Francisco 49ers.
Now, he’s back in Washington, and he’ll be competing with former Wake Forest and Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman for the third-string gig.
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Of course, if Johnson actually plays in 2025, it’ll represent an abject disaster in D.C., as Daniels is the surefire starter following a phenomenal rookie campaign.
His PFSN QB+ metric rating of 85.3 (ninth in the regular season) and 85.2 (sixth including playoffs) solidified his status as one of the league’s top young quarterbacks. The Commanders’ offense thrived under his leadership, ranking among the NFL’s best despite a midseason slump following his rib injury.
The team also has Mariota as his immediate understudy, which suits the Commanders well since their playstyles are so similar.
Daniels ran for a whopping 891 yards on 148 carries in 2024, which surpasses even the best rushing season from Mariota (438 yards with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022). Still, the latter quarterback is known for using his legs, and he can keep the Commanders’ offense in rhythm even when Daniels is out.
Johnson, meanwhile, has 426 total rushing yards in his career, and at 38, he isn’t going to get any quicker. Still, as a veteran mentor Daniels can learn from, Johnson can serve a variety of roles for the Commanders in 2025, even if he doesn’t see the field.