Out of sight, out of mind is a real thing. This bears greater significance in the NFL, which has always been, and will always be, a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league that undergoes seismic shifts from one year to the next.
That was no more evident than with the Washington Commanders in 2025. Just one season removed from a sensational run to the NFC Championship game, head coach Dan Quinn's squad mustered just five wins amid glaring injury problems and free-falling confidence with aging veterans who failed to meet expectations.
Jayden Daniels had arguably the best season for any rookie quarterback in NFL history. Last time around, he featured just seven times and completed only four full games. A low-grade hamstring strain, sprained knee, and dislocated elbow became his undoing. He was still fighting to get back late in the campaign, but the Commanders were right to sit him out with nothing to play for other than pride.
Chris Canty placed Commanders' Jayden Daniels as the NFC's second-beat quarterback
Daniels wasn't up to his exceptionally high standards even when healthy, which led to the inevitable criticism from sections of the media. Caleb Williams won the NFC North and made the playoffs with the Chicago Bears. Drake Maye won the AFC Conference and reached the Super Bowl. That piles more pressure on the former LSU standout, but one former pro-turned-analyst made his feelings about the true balance of power crystal clear.
Chris Canty of ESPN listed his top-five NFC quarterbacks entering the 2026 offseason. Matthew Stafford, who won the NFL MVP, was at the top. Daniels came in second, and Williams was ranked at No. 5.
Chris Canty knows ball. pic.twitter.com/j1UtXeRBcy
— Riggo's Rag (@RiggosRag) February 10, 2026
This caused an inevitable stir among fans across the league on social media. Canty's reasoning was simple; Daniels shone when the lights were brightest as a rookie, almost getting the Commanders into the Super Bowl. Being hurt for most of his second season doesn't detract from his outstanding capabilities under center.
It's that simple. Some fans might not like it, but Daniels will be striving with everything he has to remind the world just how special he is within a new offensive scheme that should maximize his skill set under David Blough.
Daniels needs more help; that much is obvious. He also needs to tweak his playing style to minimize the risk of unnecessary injuries. Blough's scheme will be a pro-style one with more of the signal-caller under center, which should also help him bounce back after a deeply frustrating NFL sophomore campaign.
If this objective is achieved, it's all systems go.