The Washington Commanders and superstar rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels were the toast of the league last season. The Heisman Trophy winner had one of the all-time great seasons for a first-year player, winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year while leading his team to a 12-5 record and an appearance in the NFC Championship game.
No one saw last season coming after the Commanders won four games the prior year. For Daniels, it vaulted him straight into the conversation among the league's other elite passers.
There is one downside to all of that. Increased expectations.
Now that Daniels has set such a high standard early on, there will be no more room for patience as he continues to grow. Therefore, some around the league believe he is fated to disappoint in 2025.
An anonymous executive compared the hype following Daniels' rookie season to that surrounding the Houston Texans signal-caller C.J. Stroud a year ago, when the Ohio State product conducted a similar turnaround. The AFC South club went from three wins in 2022 to 10 in 2023. They won a playoff game and were projected to take the next step into Super Bowl contention last time around.
Instead, they stagnated.
Jayden Daniels has the talent to avoid Commanders' sophomore slump
The Texans compiled the same record and playoff success from 2023. Stroud's statistics regressed, throwing for fewer yards, touchdowns, and more than doubling his interception count.
There were some additional factors involved. All three of Stroud's top receiving threats — including highly touted offseason acquisition Stefon Diggs — missed significant time due to injuries.
It is also worth noting that for as impressive as Stroud's rookie year was, the Commanders' quarterback's was significantly better. Their passing stats were similar — 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions for Daniels, 23 touchdowns and five picks for Stroud — but the former LSU star's impact running the football makes him the much more dynamic playmaker.
Daniels also had to carry a much heavier load for the Commanders than Stroud did with the Texans. Their turnaround can be equally attributed to the emergence of an elite defense led by young stars Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr.
Just because Stroud didn't measure up to Year 2 expectations, it doesn't mean Daniels will suffer the same fate. It's a lazy take with no genuine substance attached.
Washington has capitalized off of its magical title game run by putting all of the right pieces in place around Daniels, notably trading for wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Commanders' roster figures to be much more talented than a season ago. That's what happens when you have a rookie contract to build around your franchise player.
Regressions like Stroud's are the exception, not the rule. It can be considered fair to temper expectations for Daniels and the Commanders in 2025 at the risk of getting too carried away. Realistically, all signs are they should only continue to improve.
