The Washington Commanders had one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent NFL history. From four wins to an NFC Championship game appearance, their charge was led by Jayden Daniels, who had arguably the greatest rookie quarterback season ever.
A dual-threat quarterback in the ilk of Lamar Jackson, Daniels was a revelation all year long, led by a new system behind head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. But, according to one analyst, the latter needs to exert some caution going into next season.
NFL Analyst Gives Warning to Kliff Kingsbury, Jayden Daniels
Last year was a wonderful year for the Commanders on the offensive end. Not only did Daniels end up as a top 10 quarterback in the league, finishing ninth on PFSN’s QB+ metric, but the offense as a whole was electric.
Ranked sixth on the corresponding Offense+ metric, Daniels’ capabilities were on full display. Tallying 3,568 yards through the air while recording 25 touchdowns, he was electric on the ground as well, adding 891 yards and six touchdowns.
Washington is ready to lean further into its identity this season. They brought back most of their offensive group while adding wide receiver Deebo Samuel into the equation. However, Greg Cosell believes they must exercise caution to ensure success.
A veteran in the sports media landscape, the longtime NFL analyst appeared on the “John Keim Report” alongside the ESPN insider and broke down his one concern for the Commanders entering the 2025 season.
“As phenomenal a runner as he is, and he became the big-play running threat because they don’t have one, and they still don’t, I think. Kliff Kingsbury will know this,” Cosell began before addressing the offensive coordinator directly.”
“You have to be a little careful about how much you run him. It’s because you get caught up in these games, and the idea is to win every week.”
Last year, Daniels led the team in rushing yards with Brian Robinson Jr. trailing close behind despite missing three games. However, the Commanders didn’t shore up the position except by adding a seventh-round pick in Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
As a result, Cosell feels it might be inevitable that Kingsbury will rely on his quarterback’s running ability throughout next season. But he wants some restraint to ensure the long-term success of the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, both within the season and over his entire career.
Suppose Daniels can continue at his current pace, while fending off injuries and the wear and tear from the physicality. In that case, the pieces are in place for Washington to make an even deeper run this year, potentially making a trip to the Super Bowl.
That makes the warning from Cosell to Kingsbury much more critical and impossible to ignore.