Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ Great Rebuild: A New Dynasty in the Making?

Chase Hellie |

It's been seven weeks since the end of the 2024–25 NFL season, and nobody is looking to turn around their franchise more than the Washington Commanders. Following the pickup of their No. 2 draft pick, Jayden Daniels, Heisman winner out of LSU, the team hit an instant upward trajectory. Daniels had arguably one of the best rookie seasons by a quarterback in NFL history, as evidenced by his ROTY trophy. Daniels accumulated 891 rushing yards with 6 rushing touchdowns, a rookie QB record. 

Outside of the newly vetted franchise quarterback stars: Terry McLaurin, No. 36 on the NFL’s Top 100 list, and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen at No. 64 were major contributors to the record-setting season. The Daniels-McLaurin duo combined for 56 completions, 801 yards, and 9 touchdowns as arguably the most important piece of the Commanders' success. Notably, the defense ranked 13th in total defense (326.9 ypg) and 3rd in passing defense (189.8 ypg). The commander's improvement from 4-13 in the 2023-24 season to 12-5 this past year marks the best record turnaround this year. 

The turnaround applies not only to the record but also to the fans' morale, who have weathered decades without progressing past the Wildcard round. Many attribute this success to new ownership led by Josh Harris, who acquired the franchise from Dan Snyder in 2023. Previous owner Dan Snyder was universally disliked. ESPN’s piece on Dan Snyder showed opinions of an Anonymous NFL Owner on Snyder's Standing Among Peers: "The NFL is a mafia... All the owners hate each other." To which a veteran owner responded, "That's not true. All the owners hate Dan." This historic revival marks not just a new era on the field, but a cultural reset for a franchise—and a fanbase—that’s been waiting decades for the momentum to build.

Jayden Daniels, Via DieHardAddicts

The commanders expect to keep the momentum rolling from their NFC Championship run and become the top contender in the NFC. Since the trade window opened on March 12th, the commanders have made some major moves, including trading a 2025 fifth-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for 1st team all-pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Samuel is seen by many as a depreciating aging receiver after one down year, yet he is one of the most versatile players in the game. Samuel even holds the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns in a season by a wide receiver with eight (2021). His versatility will allow Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury to widen his play calling and create many new sets to be creative with. They also traded a handful of 2025 picks for 4x pro-bowler Marshon Lattimore to pair with their standout now 2nd year corner Mikey Sainstril out of Michigan. Another move in the secondary was resigning solid starting nickel Noah Igbinoghene, allowing for the variation in usage of Sainstril and the new addition Lattimore. Offensively, 3rd string WR Noah brown and starting TE Zach Ertz both signed 1-year deals. 

When examining offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who is widely regarded as a brilliant offensive mind, it is important to note his success with quarterbacks like Daniels. Kingsbury has coached many other elusive QBs like Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes, and Johnny Manziel. Big things are expected out of the OC as under his direction, the commanders tied for the franchise's second-highest total points in a season (485) and ranked among the top three in rushing and total yards in team history. 

As a lifelong Commanders fan and D.C. native, it’s been surreal to witness a team finally reflect the grit and energy of the city. With a retooled roster and a system built for sustained success, this season feels different—for once, the hype feels earned.