Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels entered Year 3 of his professional career with one imperative goal. Prove his electric 2024 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign wasn't a fluke.
Six weeks in, as the Commanders rest up during their bye, he's been one of the team's bright spots when healthy. He's making plays with both his arm and his legs, and his dislocated left elbow hasn't seemed to bother him in two weeks since returning.
Still, it's clear Daniels has room to grow.
Jayden Daniels is not the Commanders' savior; he's a human being who plays football
And there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you're honest with yourself about who he is.
At the end of the day, Washington is 1-4-1, and hasn't won a game Daniels has started in since Week 5 of the 2025 season. Of course, wins aren't a real quarterback stat, and the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner remains the least of the Commanders' problems.
But after the campaign Daniels put together two seasons ago, it's fair to say Washington expected his trajectory to turn out a little differently.
And when you perform at a level that merits being thrown into conversations with the best, you need to be held to that standard as the ultimate goal.
As with Robert Griffin III, Daniels' immediate success was bound to take his reputation down a dangerous road. Fans treated him as their personal lord and savior and declared him immune to criticism for any negative development that might arise.
It's simply not realistic.
People wanted Daniels to be the next Patrick Mahomes, who came bursting onto the scene and never seemed to make a single mistake for the next seven years. But players like that don't grow on trees, and it's clear that Washington's signal-caller still has some work to do.
Jayden Daniels' ascent to superstardom can't happen without first addressing his flaws
Daniels' game management struggles have been beaten to death for the past two weeks, so we don't need to dwell on them any further. But even beyond that, he's missed wide-open receivers far too often, and his durability remains a concern.
Objectively, where would it be fair to rank Daniels among the league's best quarterbacks right now?
Toward the back of the top 10, maybe? That's pretty good. But is it where we should want him to be?
After 2024, Daniels was considered a future NFL MVP. A player who could lead you to a Super Bowl. A potential Pro Football Hall of Fame talent. And it was supposed to be a matter of when, not if, he rose into that territory.
He's not there yet. That doesn't mean he won't ever be. Considering what he's shown when healthy, Washington should still have every reason to believe in Daniels' long-term potential.
But getting there requires one admission that's easier for some to make than for others.
Daniels is not the savior. He's not a superhero. He's just someone trying to get a little bit better every day.
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