ASHBURN, VA (WTKR)- 2025 was a rough part of the football road for Jayden Daniels. A sprained knee, hamstring issues and a dislocated elbow sidelined him for 10 of the 17 games and that sat with the quarterback heading into the offseason.
"Kinda just left a bitter taste in my mouth and you kind of move forward and you go out there and try to get better and get back to it," Daniels said. "You just attack it with a different mindset."
2026 finds the QB healed up and hungry. He spent the offseason getting plenty of work in, including working out with his receivers in California, putting time in with his personal trainers and getting familiar with a new system under new offensive coordinator David Blough.
"Keep trying to master the offense over this summer break," the quarterback noted. "Just keep working my craft- bigger, faster, stronger- just doing everything, finding little edges I can do to get better."
"He's such a great leader," added wide receiver Luke McCaffrey. "He always has been since he first got here, but just being in a huddle, being closer to him, it's nice to get an even more first hand look at all that."
McCaffrey isn't the only one to notice that leadership. If you ask the guys around him, Daniels looks ready to take the next step both on and off the field. His position demands being a leader and those in the locker room see him answering the call.
"You see him inside the building putting in the work with the guys," head coach Dan Quinn pointed out. "You see how much stronger he's gotten, his command of the offense so now it's not just his command, but getting the information to the other guys."
"Our third year playing with one another, having a full offseason together to get some really good work in," said wide receiver Terry McLaurin. "I just love to see the way he's grown as a player, as a leader and we just communicate on and off the field a whole lot."
Daniels's ups and downs during his young career have strengthened him. Now he and the Commanders charge forward in hopes of a bounce-back season.
"Play a lot of ball, you go through a lot of different things on and off the field," he pointed out. "You're going to mature in this league so now it's just being more intentional with not only myself, but getting the guys around me ready and rallying the troops."
Daniels appeared in seven games last season, throwing for 1,262 yards and eight touchdowns while being intercepted three times. Washington finished a disappointing 5-12, just one year after going 12-5 and making a run to the NFC Championship game.
The Commanders will do a private walk-through at their headquarters Friday before welcoming fans for the first time during training camp Saturday at 8:30 a.m.
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