Everything that could go wrong for the Washington Commanders has gone wrong in recent weeks. Dan Quinn's squad sits at 3-4 with a mountain of injuries, causing their playoff hopes to quickly fade after starting the season with such high hopes.
The most significant of those injuries is to star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who left Washington's loss to the Dallas Cowboys with a low-grade hamstring strain in the third quarter. Even before that, the Commanders' franchise signal-caller was having an up-and-down day.
Daniels was playing without the services of his top three wide receivers, and the lack of chemistry with his available weapons has shown that he is human after all.
Commanders should still have complete faiith in Jayden Daniels' outlook
Let's make one thing clear: Daniels remains the least of Washington's problems. The idea of his supposed regression in Year 2 is almost solely due to injuries, both his own and those of his supporting cast.
In the four and a half games he's played in 2025, Daniels has accounted for nine total touchdowns and three turnovers. His passer rating and yards per play numbers are nearly identical to his 2024 marks.
But the holes in his profile have been exposed, as expected. Daniels is an exceptional talent, but he is not yet in the Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson tier of passers who can consistently elevate their weapons. That was obvious against Dallas, when he missed several normally routine throws to his patchwork group of options.
Commanders insider Zach Selby noted this same dilemma, pointing out that a rhythm has not yet been established between Daniels and Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane in particular. Both wideouts are still learning the NFL ropes themselves, making it highly difficult for them to feature as top receiving weapons in Washington's offense at the moment.
Nevertheless, a fully matured version of Daniels would find ways to make do with whatever situation he is dealt. The best comparison for his ideal trajectory remains Jackson, who similarly had an electric first full season as a starter before running into some snags in the following few.
Ultimately, he overcame his struggles and emerged as a bona fide elite player who makes everybody around him better. Daniels must do the same over time.
Everyone in Washington should still have the utmost faith in Daniels. He is not another Robert Griffin III by any means: he's humble, coachable, and always looking for ways to grow. In the long run, the harsh lessons he's having to learn right now could be the best thing to ever happen to him.