Washington Commanders
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Dan Quinn needed just one season and a lot of help from NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels to take a Washington Commanders team that went 4-13 under Ron Rivera to one that went 12-5 and reached the NFC Conference Championship.
Now the Commanders have a tall task ahead, not only returning as a playoff team, but trying to show they’ve actually improved over the offseason. That’s never an easy task, and some NFL front office executives are skeptical of Washington’s ability to pull it off.
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NFL exec fears sophomore slump for Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders
Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Can the Washington Commanders return with even better results in 2025? After all, they’ve gone all in, acquiring several proven talents such as Laremy Tunsil, Deebo Samuel, and Javon Kinlaw.
Yet, one anonymous NFL front office executive who spoke to The Athletic’s Mike Sando casted doubt on the Commanders’ current direction, particularly if Jayden Daniels suffers any type of sophomore slump, much like fans witnessed with CJ Stroud on the Houston Texans last season.
“I’m afraid that is the team that is going to have the quarterback hit the sophomore slump, and now you have invested in all these older guys and you are not really building a team anymore, you are just adding pieces,” another exec said, noting that C.J. Stroud’s production fell off after a breakout rookie season. “At some point, you get diminishing returns with all those old guys.”
Anonymous NFL exec on Washington Commanders
While it’s true that older players are often past their prime, it’s also true that their experience can help veterans feel like they’re one step ahead from whistle to whistle. Plus, it never hurts to take a low-cost gamble on players who haven’t lived up to their full potential elsewhere.
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