The Washington Commanders haven't wasted any time getting their ducks in a row for Jayden Daniels ahead of his second NFL season.
Terry McLaurin needed help in the passing game, so general manager Adam Peters traded for San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel to get Daniels a truly dynamic weapon.
The offensive line was a tough spot last year, with Daniels sacked 47 times (sixth-most), and for a quarterback who has a slender build, that's asking for trouble. So Peters again went to the trade table and got perhaps one of the best pass-protecting left tackles in football over the past couple of seasons in Laremy Tunsil.
Two big needs have been addressed, and for Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman, this is one big positive from the Commanders' offseason business.
"Despite their massive success last season, the Commanders finished 13th in PFF receiving grade and 22nd in PFF pass-blocking grade," Wasserman writes. "As such, they've added impactful players in wide receiver Deebo Samuel and left tackle Laremy Tunsil to alleviate those issues. Samuel's trademark after-the-catch ability should be a seamless fit for a generally conservative passing game. Tunsil ranked fourth in PFF pass-blocking grade among qualified tackles last season.
"Washington is properly surrounding Jayden Daniels with the tools he needs to succeed."
What Samuel could do for the offense under Kliff Kingsbury is an enticing prospect, given his star factor as a receiver and running back, so Washington could have several levers to pull in 2025 to get the best out of Deebo.
Related: Commanders Turn Heads with Deebo Major Change
The offensive line might not be done with additions as Sam Cosmi suffered an ACL injury in the playoffs, so even with Tunsil, Washington might look to add another body in the draft or free agency.
It has once again been a good offseason for the Commanders, and they are taking advantage of Daniels' rookie contract and have given him an All-Pro weapon and a five-time Pro Bowl left tackle with a Super Bowl run clearly on the agenda.
That feels pretty positive to us.
Related: TV Analyst Makes Bold Prediction For Commanders' Jayden Daniels: 'Multiple MVPs!'
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 4:37 AM.