Commanders Jayden Daniels Reveals His Offseason Plans

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 6:34 PM

commanders jayden daniels reveals his offseason plans

For players on the Washington Commanders’ roster, the offseason presents an opportunity to heal, rest, and really focus on individual plans for getting better before the next season. Quarterback Jayden Daniels entered his first NFL offseason in a better position than most, and after leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, there weren’t a whole lot of holes in his game... That doesn’t mean there aren’t areas he could get better in as he looks to take Washington another step forward this season, and he spent much of his offseason looking for physical and technical... Given his dual-threat style of play, it made sense for Daniels to prepare his body for the punishment defensive players love to dish out to quarterbacks. While he escaped his rookie season relatively unscathed, the quarterback’s efforts were focused on being “able to soften the blow as much as possible,” Daniels says. “That helps out because obviously those guys might get a good shot on you and they weigh a lot more than I do.

So, just be able to try to build more muscle to absorb those hits.” If you expected Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels to relax after a record-breaking rookie season, then think again. After leading Washington to its best season in 33 years, winning two playoff games and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, Daniels is already thinking about next year. One of the knocks on Daniels coming out of LSU was his size, specifically his frame. While he's 6-foot-4, Daniels is thin and sometimes runs recklessly. It led him to take some unnecessary hits in college.

During his rookie season, Daniels remained healthy outside of a Week 7 rib injury. While he never missed any games, he was banged up for a few weeks, which just happened to be Washington's most challenging stretch of the 2024 season. In a conversation with Kevin Clark of "This is Football," Daniels discussed his offseason plans. "I haven't really sat down and thought about that yet," Daniels said when asked if there was a specific area where he wanted to improve. Rookie seasons are full of learning lessons for every NFL player, even ones who light the league on fire like quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels was a revelation for the Washington Commanders, both in terms of providing stability at the quarterback position and turning the franchise into a playoff contender.

He set records, helped the Commanders get their best record in decades and even entered the fringes of the MVP conversation. There is always a learning curve for players going from college to the professional game, but Daniels seemed to pick things up much easier compared to his counterparts around the league. The reality is that playing 17 games plus going through a playoff run is a taxing process, and Daniels felt the physical toll after the season came to an end. Now that he's experienced it firsthand, it has shaped everything about his offseason routine. "It's a long season," Daniels told Bryan Colbert Jr. on "Next Man Up." "Now, just put the team around me, ask questions, ask vets and reach out to other individuals [to ask], 'How did you navigate your first offseason?'"

It seems like one of the first items on Daniels' agenda was to put on a little weight. Daniels laughed it off when asked multiple times about his physique during the first week of Phase 3 of the offseason workout program, but it's clear that he has a little more muscle in... As if the Washington Commanders didn't have enough issues already in the midst of a very disappointing season, the team is now operating without the services of quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels has been sidelined since he suffered an ugly elbow injury in the Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The second-year quarterback was diagnosed with a dislocated elbow, which many initially believed might end his season. However, a recent update on Daniels says otherwise, opening the door for him to play again in 2025.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, tests revealed Daniels' injury isn't as bad as first believed, as the young quarterback avoided ligament damage and he doesn't need surgery. Rapoport adds that, right now, the team is not putting Daniels on injured reserve. Jayden Daniels might be able to recover from injury in time to play again for the Commanders this season. That does not mean Washington should allow their franchise quarterback back on the field during the 2025 campaign. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has the report that Daniels will not need surgery to repair his injured elbow. That revelation opens up the door for the young signal-caller to return at some point before the end of the regular season.

Clearly, Washington's chances of winning games go up when their No. 1 quarterback is able to line up under center. None of that changes the reality that Washington currently owns an ugly record of 3-6. That puts them 3.5 games behind the Eagles in the division and comfortably outside of a Wild Card place in the NFC. To put it bluntly, the Commanders' chances of earning a postseason berth this year are minimal. This is especially true if they're forced to play a few more key games with Marcus Mariota taking snaps.

That's why the higher-ups in Washington need to step in and do what's best for their franchise quarterback's long-term health. It's time for the front office to put Daniels on the shelf for the rest of the year. It's far more important to make sure Daniels gets fully healthy this offseason than to rush him back into action for a meaningless game or two at the end of this season. Keeping Daniels on the shelf until 2026 would also give the Commanders a chance to build a better offensive ecosystem around him. Trading for Laremy Tunsil gave his offensive line a big boost, but rookie Josh Conerly needs more reps before he's a quality option at the other tackle spot. It might also be advisable for Washington to look for better options at guard through free agency or next year's draft.

After an outstanding rookie season with the Washington Commanders, all eyes are on whether quarterback Jayden Daniels can avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. Daniels led the team to a breakout year, snapping a decades-long playoff drought and guiding them to the NFC Championship Game. But with a full offseason to study his tendencies, opposing defenses will be better prepared in Year 2. Fortunately for Washington fans, one NFL insider reports that the Commanders are already implementing a strategy to keep Daniels one step ahead. Daniels became the first rookie in NFL history to rush for over 800 yards and throw for more than 3,500, finishing with 3,568 passing yards and 891 rushing yards last season. He led the Commanders to a 12-5 record and their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991, throwing 25 touchdown passes, running for six more, and completing 69.0% of his throws.

As he enters Year 2, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe recently revealed that Daniels had undergone a variety of changes, including bulking up to manage extra load as the Commanders still lack a rushing threat. “The first thing people noticed when he got into Year 2 is he’s been bulking up, he’s been in the weight room,” he said. “That was the question coming out of the draft: Will he be big enough? He played all 17 games and is getting a little bigger to handle the workload this year.” Unofficial fan site - not affiliated with the Washington Commanders or NFL In the latest episode of the John Keim Report, Washington Commanders beat reporter John Keim sat down with quarterback coach Ryan Porter to discuss the development of rising star Jayden Daniels.

The YouTube interview offers fans a rare glimpse into the technical training behind one of the NFL's most promising young quarterbacks. Porter, who has worked with Daniels for over 12 years, shared insights about the quarterback's unique skill set and plans for his crucial second NFL season. According to Porter, Daniels' footwork stands out as exceptionally elite—a quality he believes puts the young quarterback "on a different pedestal" compared to his NFL peers. "He's a generational talent," Porter told Keim during the interview, noting that Daniels' mechanics and quick release are reminiscent of NFL greats. The offseason training plan revolves around expanding Daniels' already impressive footwork repertoire. Porter revealed he'll introduce 3-4 specific new drop patterns to help prevent defensive coordinators from reading Daniels' tendencies as they study his rookie-season film.

This technical development could prove crucial as defenses adjust to the quarterback's playing style in year two. CHEYENNE—As the future of SNAP benefits, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is up in the air amid the federal government shutdown, Wyoming lawmakers are looking to update the program by prohibiting... Florida… you’ve done it again. You’ve managed to make the news in a way that’s equal parts horrifying, confusing, and—let’s be honest—impressively stupid. This time, an Orlando man was arrested after a young child was found running naked toward Interstate 4. Because apparently, in Florida, even toddlers are trying to escape traffic on I-4.

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Commanders Jayden Daniels Reveals His Offseason Plans

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