The Washington Commanders will be as eager as anybody to begin the 2026 NFL season, as it will provide an opportunity to wash out the sour taste from last fall's 5-12 campaign. And there's no one hungrier to make a statement than third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels.
At this time last year, Daniels was the shiny new toy. He'd had one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history, leading Washington to the NFC Championship game and nearly unanimously winning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Many national analysts were already ranking him inside or near the top five when it came to the league's top passers.
Then, the dreaded sophomore slump happened.
Daniels missed more games than he played, and when he was on the field, his accuracy cratered. Year 3 will tell us everything about who he really is, and there is no shortage of skeptics. But not all of the criticism is a death sentence.
Jeremy Fowler defends Jayden Daniels' long-term prospects despite controversial ranking
Earlier this week, ESPN's annual top-10 quarterback rankings — as determined by executives, coaches, and scouts — listed Daniels as an honorable mention while two of his 2024 NFL Draft "rivals", Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, both made the cut. Jeremy Fowler, the author of the article, joined The Team 980 to discuss the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner.
"When all is said and done, out of these 2024 quarterbacks, which is shaping up to be a pretty legendary draft class, I still think (Daniels) could be the top guy because of how he plays the position... his decision-making, the way he goes through his reads, he's pretty unique in that area."
Jeremy Fowler believes that JD5 can still be the best QB from his class pic.twitter.com/VH7Jj2yScO
— The Team 980 (@team980) July 15, 2026
Nuance, what a concept. Despite some fans acting personally attacked by Daniels' placement below Public Enemies No. 1 and No. 2, not all perceived slights are "hate."
The fact of the matter is that last season, Maye and Williams played better than Daniels.
Right now, if you were to rank the three of them based on whose stock is highest heading into 2026, it is perfectly conceivable that the LSU product would be last. That does not mean he is a bust or a one-year wonder, or even that he won't be better than them when all is said and done.
There is every reason to believe Daniels can prove that last year was the real fluke. He's in a new offense with David Blough at the controls, and he'll ideally have a healthy Terry McLaurin to throw to this time around. Add in new weapons in running back Rachaad White, tight end Chig Okonkwo, and third-round rookie wideout Antonio Williams, and this could be the best year of the signal-caller's career.
Daniels endured an unfortunate setback in 2025. But it doesn't have to, and won't, define his future.
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