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Commanders Projected To Supercharge Offense Around Jayden Daniels By

Bonisiwe Shabane
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commanders projected to supercharge offense around jayden daniels by

Could Washington’s already crowded backfield be getting even more dangerous? ESPN’s Matt Bowen believes the Commanders might not be done adding firepower to help out rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels — and that includes bringing in a former 22-touchdown weapon. Free agent running back J.K. Dobbins, who is coming off a career year with the Los Angeles Chargers, is being linked to Washington as a potential late-offseason signing. Dobbins, despite his injury history, remains one of the most intriguing backs left on the market — and could offer just the kind of depth Washington needs. Finding the right landing spot for a veteran RB in June isn’t easy, especially for one who’s dealt with as many injuries as Dobbins.

But Bowen sees a perfect match in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. He notes that Dobbins would provide “competition for Brian Robinson Jr. as the early-down runner,” adding that the former Charger still has the juice to generate big plays. That “juice” translated to 905 rushing yards in just 13 games last season, tying a career high with nine touchdowns. He also ripped off 27 carries of 10+ yards and picked up 5+ yards on 31.3% of his touches. Given Kliff Kingbury's reputation coming into last season as the offensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders, you might think the team was one of the most aggressive passing units in the NFL in 2024.

According to Sports Info Solutions, however, Kingsbury's Commanders offense only attempted 52 passes that traveled 20 or more yards through the air. That number ranked the unit 22nd in deep ball passing effort, while the Indianapolis Colts led the league with 86 such attempts. Where Kingsbury and quarterback Jayden Daniels did excel was in having those deep attempts at least have the potential to produce yards. With 52 percent of deep passes being on-target, the Washington quarterback room finished 10th while the Cincinnati Bengals, led by Joe Burrow, finished first at 63.8 percent. From a quality, not quantity, standpoint, Daniels did very well for himself as a rookie. Recently, Pro Football Focus did a deep, pun not intended, dive on those types of throws across the league, and while Daniels didn't crack the top five of the lists, he is very close...

READ MORE: Commanders' Dan Quinn seriously impressed with 1 key thing from Deebo Samuel The Washington Commanders are no longer sneaking up on anyone. After Jayden Daniels burst onto the scene with a 12-5 rookie campaign that ended in the NFC Championship Game, expectations in D.C. are sky-high. The team loaded up this offseason — wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and several key defensive pieces — but at the end of the day, Washington’s future rests on the arm and legs of Daniels. And according to The Athletic’s Dave Helman, Daniels could be about to make history in Year 2.

On The Athletic Football Show, Helman offered a bold prediction for what the 25-year-old quarterback is capable of in his sophomore season. Let’s see if I can hit the listeners with the next level analysis that they’ve come to expect from “The Athletic Football Show”: I’m excited about year two of Jayden Daniels and what that... You’re talking about a quarterback who’s capable of throwing for 4,000 yards and rushing for 1,000 yards in the same season. I think that’s on the table for him. 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. Led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders played in the NFC Championship game in 2024. Big things were expected in 2025, but injuries had other ideas. Now 3-6, the Commanders are on the outside looking in on the NFC playoff picture, and it's been a lost season for Daniels due to injuries, including a dislocated elbow last week. The biggest storyline of Washington's offseason was wide receiver Terry McLaurin's contract standoff.

While McLaurin and the Commanders eventually settled on a three-year extension two weeks before the season opener, it took him missing OTAs, training camp and the preseason. Unsurprisingly, McLaurin injured his quad in Week 3, returned in Week 8, and will be out for his sixth game on Sunday when Washington hosts the Detroit Lions. It's been that type of season for the Commanders. And Washington's lack of depth at wide receiver is more glaring than ever. While we are still months away from the 2026 NFL draft, the Commanders look like a contender for a top-10 pick, which could land them one of the draft's top receiver prospects. In a new mock draft for The Athletic, Nick Baumgardner has Washington selecting Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson with the No.

9 overall pick. The Commanders could go with an edge in Round 1, but Jayden Daniels still needs a big-time, future No. 1 receiver who can help set a tone for the rest of the offense. And Tyson is the most complete WR in this draft. He blocks, and wins both in the air and underneath. Tyson does everything — and does it well.

To stream 13News Now on your phone, you need the 13News Now app. Example video title will go here for this video Example video title will go here for this video The Washington Commanders are focused on maximizing the potential of their offense this season, starting with protecting Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels. A strong offensive line is crucial to that effort, and the team made several key moves during the offseason to bolster the unit. The Commanders acquired Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil, adding a proven veteran presence to the line.

They also used their first-round draft pick on Josh Conerly Jr., a talented tackle from Oregon, signaling their commitment to building a solid foundation up front. Jayden Daniels just had one of the most impressive statistical college seasons we’ve seen from a quarterback. His Heisman season, in which he eclipsed 3,800 passing yards and 1,200 non-sack rushing yards with 50 combined touchdowns, elevated his status from a potential Day 3 prospect to the second overall pick. Daniels’ dynamic skill set propelled his breakout final season, and the Washington Commanders, under coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, will build an offense around it. As we did with Caleb Williams, let’s dive into what a Daniels NFL offense could look like. It’s hard to start anywhere other than Daniels’ rushing ability, which will be the focal point of the offense and make everything else go.

Daniels has the straight-line speed and change of direction to be a game-changer in the run game. 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.”

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