Insider Reveals A Key Factor That Could Impact Jayden Daniels Second

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 12:55 PM

insider reveals a key factor that could impact jayden daniels second

The Washington Commanders knew that Jayden Daniels needed more weapons. They went out of their way to get Deebo Samuel early in the offseason, and they added other interesting players in Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jaylin Lane. They also gave Michael Gallup a look after a brief hiatus in retirement. That was all because they trusted Terry McLaurin to be there and be their alpha dog. But now that he’s reportedly angry at the team because of his contract situation, he could end up being a huge headache for Daniels and this organization. Jayden Daniels had one of the most successful rookie quarterback seasons in recent memory.

However, an NFL insider has pointed out that one factor could hinder his performance this year. A star wide receiver is unhappy with his contract status, which could negatively impact the team. The recent acquisition of Deebo Samuel may not be sufficient to address this issue. Last year, Terry McLaurin was the only receiver on the Washington Commanders with over 1,000 yards. He’s now eclipsed that number in five straight seasons, with the only exception being his rookie campaign. Regardless, he’s entering the final year of his three-year, $68.36 million deal.

McLaurin is the latest player to follow the trend of skipping mandatory minicamp as he’s unhappy with the team’s negotiations. “The one thing that could hurt Jayden Daniels right now is Terry McLaurin,” Fowler said. “Is he going to be there for training camp because of his contract situation? He’s not happy with where things are right now in terms of a contract extension. They have a couple of weeks to try and make progress, but he needs McLaurin there at camp.” In the current status of the NFL, McLaurin might be justified in asking for roughly $30 million per year.

He’s played in every single game for the past four seasons and has yet to average fewer than 12.7 yards per reception in a season. With 13 touchdowns last season, that nearly surpassed the 29-year-old’s last three seasons combined (14). Jayden Daniels made a strong impression during his first NFL season. The Washington Commanders selected the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. As a rookie quarterback, Daniels played a significant role in helping the Commanders reach the playoffs and compete for the national title. Despite the team's loss in the championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Daniels finished his rookie year with 3,568 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.

Going into his sophomore season, expectations are high for the young quarterback. On Monday, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler highlighted a factor that could affect Daniels' performance in his second year. Fowler pointed out that wide receiver Terry McLaurin's uncertain contract status might pose a challenge for the Commanders as they prepare for the upcoming season. McLaurin has been a vital part of the Commanders' offense since being drafted in 2019. He is entering the final year of a three-year, $71 million extension, but has expressed dissatisfaction with the current extension talks. Reports indicate that negotiations have stalled, leaving uncertainty about whether McLaurin will participate fully in training camp.

Dan Quinn began his tenure as the Commanders’ head coach with promise last season. With Daniels at quarterback, there is optimism that the team can become a serious contender for the Super Bowl. Jayden Daniels is expected to earn the starting job with the Washington Commanders as a rookie, but with quite a mixed track record for first-year quarterbacks, it’s hard to know what to expect. It seems that scouts and executives around the league are quite concerned about how dangerous Daniels could be in this offense led by new coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. According to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, there’s been quite a bit of buzz surrounding Daniels from league scouts and executives who think he has the chance to be dangerous as a professional. “Jayden Daniels, a lot of buzz league-wide about Daniels already,” Fowler said, per On3.

“When I talk to scouts and execs, they bring him up unprompted, like, it’s kind of scary what Washington could be with him. Even though he’s a running quarterback like some others that came through, he’s more polished as a passer than a lot of those guys.” Fowler said the offensive line is viewed as a limiting factor, but if Washington can find success with that group, other teams think Daniels could be in for a huge rookie season. After putting up arguably the best season by a rookie quarterback in NFL history, Jayden Daniels is continuing to take strides forward in his second season with the Commanders. As a rookie, Daniels showed remarkable poise, clutchness and decision-making among many other traits as he guided the Commanders to the NFC championship game for the first time in over 30 years. This year, he's been stepping up his leadership role, which includes guiding his teammates around him to player better, even if it's just giving them a small adjustment.

“What I’ve noticed already is he’s now making others better by his ability to communicate, postsnap,” Quinn told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer during his visit to Commanders training camp. “I noticed early on in practice, it was very early on. [Second-year TE] Ben Sinnott was running a corner route, and the ball came kind of early to Ben. Before, I don’t know if he would’ve articulated this—so he came up after the play, and said, Look for it earlier. I’m not going to throw it near the corner, so it’s gonna be on your back shoulder. And it made Ben totally see that play differently.

Now, he wasn’t just running a route. It was, I have to look and if the corner’s there, it’s gonna come quickly." As Breer pointed out, it helps that Daniels is no longer a rookie and established himself last year with such an incredible first NFL campaign. This has put him in position to not only provide teaching moments to his teammates, but hold them accountable if they do not reach his and the team's standards. “This year, a rookie had jumped offside and he just quietly went over and said, ‘Get out,' Quinn told Breer. "He didn’t make a big deal of it.

But it was his way of saying,It’s not good enough. It wasn’t a scene. It was, get out. He’s always had high standards, but when you ask me what’s different, I’d say he is now multiplying others." 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.” Pro Football and Sports Network covers all the major professional sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Tennis, WNBA, NASCAR, and more. Jayden Daniels had one of the most successful rookie quarterback seasons in recent memory. However, an NFL insider has pointed out that one factor could hinder his performance this year. A star wide receiver is unhappy with his contract status, which could negatively impact the team.

The recent acquisition of Deebo Samuel may not be sufficient to address this issue. Last year, Terry McLaurin was the only receiver on the Washington Commanders with over 1,000 yards. He’s now eclipsed that number in five straight seasons, with the only exception being his rookie campaign. Regardless, he’s entering the final year of his three-year, $68.36 million deal. McLaurin is the latest player to follow the trend of skipping mandatory minicamp as he’s unhappy with the team’s negotiations. “The one thing that could hurt Jayden Daniels right now is Terry McLaurin,” Fowler said.

“Is he going to be there for training camp because of his contract situation? He’s not happy with where things are right now in terms of a contract extension. They have a couple of weeks to try and make progress, but he needs McLaurin there at camp.”

Insider Reveals A Key Factor That Could Impact Jayden Daniels Second

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