The Washington Commanders’ 2024 run to the NFC Championship Game made Jayden Daniels look like the beginning of something. One injury-plagued season later, at least one NFL executive thinks the Commanders could be heading in the opposite direction.
NFL Executive Questions Jayden Daniels’ Style of Play
Six executives surveyed by The Athletic ranked Washington 13th in the NFC entering 2026, with four placing the Commanders in the sub-.500 tier and another viewing them as a potential top-10 draft team. The harshest assessment centered on Daniels and whether his playing style can hold up.
“I think they are going to be bad,” one executive told The Athletic. “The quarterback is talented, but his style of play, unless he changes it, is a concern. The weapons around him are OK, but I don’t think it’s a dynamic team offensively. Defensively, they plateaued.”
The concern about Daniels is not difficult to trace. His second NFL season included a knee sprain, a hamstring strain, and a dislocated left elbow, limiting him to seven games. Washington eventually shut him down for the final three weeks after he aggravated the elbow injury.
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Daniels still rushed 58 times for 278 yards in those seven appearances, but his passing production also slipped. He completed 60.6% of his throws for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions, finishing No. 27 among qualifying quarterbacks with a 72.3 PFN QB Impact grade. A year earlier, he had rushed for 891 yards while helping Washington reach the NFC title game as a rookie.
There is a meaningful counterpoint entering 2026: Daniels is healthy. Washington said throughout training camp that he looked like his old self, and the club’s initial 53-man roster noted that the injuries from 2025 appeared to be behind him.
Commanders Changed Plenty Around Daniels
The executive’s description of Washington’s weapons as merely “OK” is debatable after the club paired Terry McLaurin with Stefon Diggs. McLaurin is healthy again after his own injury-plagued 2025 season, while Diggs gives Daniels another accomplished veteran target. The Commanders also have Rachaad White, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and Chig Okonkwo in a reshaped skill group.
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The defensive criticism has stronger statistical backing. Washington finished 2025 at 5-12 while allowing an NFL-worst 384.0 yards per game and ranking 27th in scoring defense at 26.5 points allowed per game.
The front office responded aggressively. Washington added edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson, linebacker Leo Chenal, and No. 7 overall pick Sonny Styles, while Daronte Jones took over as defensive coordinator.
That creates a strange setup for Dan Quinn’s third season. Washington has a healthy Daniels, more recognizable offensive weapons, and an expensive defensive makeover, yet league executives remain deeply skeptical.
The Commanders open Sept. 13 at Philadelphia. If Daniels stays healthy, Washington has a chance to make the “bad” prediction age quickly. If the same durability concerns return, the executive’s warning will look much harder to dismiss.
