Zach Ertz sees even bigger things for Jayden Daniels in 2025

When the Washington Commanders lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship, it was a somber locker room. However, there was also excitement. Washington finally had a quarterback (Jayden Daniels) and was coming off the franchise's best season in 33 years.

Veteran tight end Zach Ertz enjoyed a rebirth last season with the Commanders. He started all 17 games and finished second on the team with 66 receptions, 654 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. Ertz attributed much of his success to his coaches and teammates, often acknowledging Dan Quinn, Kliff Kingsbury and Jayden Daniels, among others.

Ertz was especially complimentary of his young quarterback. After that Philadelphia loss, Ertz said he wished he were 22 so he could play his entire career alongside Daniels. This offseason, Ertz was a free agent and made it clear that he wanted to remain in Washington. The Commanders also wanted him back, and they agreed to a one-year deal.

Ertz and Daniels both participated in Washington's entire offseason program, so the veteran has seen firsthand the growth his quarterback has made in just a few short months.

"I think just the comfort level," Ertz said Friday after Washington's third training camp practice. "He's not in for any surprises. He knows exactly what he's getting into each and every day. There is no competing necessarily like he was last year with [QB] Marcus [Mariota] going into this. So, I think everyone just knows it's his ship, and we're trying to do our best every day to improve as a team, but just his comfort level. He’s always been so poised, such high confidence, but I feel like he's just taking another step. He's very efficient out there. He sees the game a certain way. He is talking to guys how he sees it, making sure everyone's on his page and not necessarily just how each individual sees the game. So yeah, I think he's taken even more ownership of this thing as he should.”