The Washington Commanders were the success story of 2024, going 12-5 and reaching the NFC Championship game only one year after winning four contests.
Naturally, expectations are much higher for 2025. That's precisely why many analysts in the national media seem to believe regression is in store.
The Houston Texans experienced this trajectory a year ago. They had a rookie quarterback drafted No. 2 overall who led them to a surprise playoff run in 2023. However, the AFC South club failed to meet loftier goals the following campaign.
There's only one problem with equating the 2024 Commanders to the 2023 Texans...
Jayden Daniels is better than C.J. Stroud. A lot better.
Commanders have more going for them than the 2024 Texans, and not just Jayden Daniels
Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post rebuked the lazy "2024 Texans" comparison, citing analysis from several NFL insiders who have taken note of what the Commanders are building. All are in agreement that last year was no fluke.
Specifically, there's no logical reason to believe that Daniels isn't going to get better.
A major point of emphasis in La Canfora's article is that Stroud and the Texans regressed in large part last year because of their offensive line's struggles. The Commanders made it their absolute top priority to improve that unit this summer, highlighted by trading for Houston's lone bright spot in five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
As long as Daniels is protected — and perhaps even if he's not — he'll keep Washington's offense humming with his effortless command and poise under pressure. In comparison to Stroud, his QBR last season was 70.6. The 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year posted a mark of 57.5 in his debut campaign.
Simply put, even some minor growing pains would leave him a clear tier above the Ohio State product. Just see what this unnamed coach said of Daniels.
"He’s been so impressive with his anticipation throws, his timing throws, his rhythm, the way he goes through his progressions. He knows how to miss knockout blows when he leaves the pocket and how to slip punches. He can protect himself a lot more than a guy like Robert Griffin III did when he was there. He’s more like Lamar Jackson."
Unnamed NFL coach via Washington Post
The coach then went on to additionally praise Daniels' locker room presence, his humility, and dedication towards constant growth. Players with good heads on their shoulders, as the Heisman Trophy winner has, tend to find sustained success at professional football's highest level.
An executive with a rival NFC East team cited the staff Washington has hired from the top down. "This doesn’t seem like the typical version of a team that greatly overachieved in Year 1 and fell back to Earth," he said.
The Commanders might not win 12 games again this season. They might not get back to the NFC Championship. But with their most important positions occupied by Daniels, head coach Dan Quinn, general manager Adam Peters, and, perhaps most crucially of all, majority owner Josh Harris, they're going to be a threat for a long time.
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