Commanders QB Jayden Daniels
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Analyst raves about Commanders QB Jayden Daniels heading into year three.
After putting together a historic rookie season for the Washington Commanders, QB Jayden Daniels had a lackluster and injury-filled sophomore season. While many have begun to overlook him already, one analyst thinks the rising star still has a lot left to give the NFL.
During the April 6th episode of “Good Morning Football,” Kyle Brandt used an odd form of comparison to praise the Commanders’ QB. He drew similarities between Daniels and TV series, feeling that his current story is on par with the hit series The Walking Dead.
“I think it’s The Walking Dead. Prolific first season, season two slows way the hell down…But then it still becomes something massive and seminal,” Brandt said. “It’s frustrating to me that the Jayden Daniels talk is about this big when what he did was historic, special, promising, and then he ran into injuries.”
Kyle Brandt
Is Jayden Daniels the WESTWORLD of QBs?
I don’t think so.
Daniels took the league by storm as a rookie, leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship game. However, injuries resulted in him playing in just seven games last season. In that time, the 25-year-old posted a 2-5 record while throwing for 1,262 yards and eight touchdowns.
Kyle Brandt Puts Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Ahead of Caleb Williams
Despite taking a big step back in year two, Brandt is still a firm believer in Daniels and his ability to lead the Commanders. He even went as far as to put him ahead of another promising young QB on the path towards stardom.
While sounding off on the lack of coverage around Daniels heading into this season, Brandt reminded the football world of his stunning rookie season. He placed it above what former No. 1 pick Caleb Williams did early in his career after an impressive showing in 2025.
“Caleb Williams was a sensation last year, and it’s like we all forgot about Jayden Daniels,” Brandt said. “Do you understand that Jayden’s rookie year was better than Caleb’s second year, in several important categories.”
Jayden Daniels Viewed as Key Factor in Commanders Getting Back to Contender Status in the NFC
With injuries keeping him on the sidelines for the majority of last season, the Commanders were unable to remain in the hunt in the NFC in 2025. As they aim to get back to the playoffs in 2026, Daniels is seen as the make-or-break factor.
Washington has an array of talent on both sides of the ball, but essentially, they’ll only go as far as Daniels will take them. While hosting on “The Team 980” on April 6th, Kevin Sheehan stated that the Commanders’ primary path to being a contender again is the young QB returning to elite form.
“For Washington to be anywhere near a team that they resembled two years ago, Jayden’s gonna have to really play well. He’s gonna have to a high-level, borderline elite quarterback,” Sheehan said. “He’s got the potential to be that, he was that two years ago.”
The Team 980
It might just be that simple: The Commanders’ path to being real contenders depends on Jayden Daniels playing like an elite-level QB again
Given his track record, Daniels has proven he has the necessary skills to lead the Commanders deep into the postseason. Heading into year three, staying healthy and on the field will be his primary objective.