The Commanders are changing the look of their offense, but Jayden Daniels remains the center of everything.
With David Blough stepping in as offensive coordinator for Kliff Kingsbury, Daniels said the system will bring plenty of differences, especially in how much more it demands from him mentally and before the snap. Even so, he sees the fit as a strong one for what he does best.
“The balance of play-action passes, the bootlegging, stuff that we’re able to run to marry up with our run game, get those guys moving laterally, it’s going to help out to be able to get some shots in to showcase what I can do with my arm,” Daniels said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. ”I’m a passer before I’m a runner.
God just blessed me with legs, and the ability to do both. He blessed me with legs a lot of people in this league don’t have.
There are some guys that can do it.
“But I look back to the year when Josh [Allen] won MVP but Lamar [Jackson] had that year, and he was still Lamar, but I think he threw for like 4,000 yards.”
How often Daniels leans on those legs is still a major question, especially after an injury-riddled 2025 season and the uncertainty up front for 2026. Daniels said the answer will depend on the situation.
“It’s situational,” he said. “Early in the season, games are lost more than they’re won.
Guys are getting in football shape and feeling things out. But when it gets to November, December, when everybody should be playing their peak football, you build up all those reps through time, and those games come down to the one yard or one possession, so every possession, every play matters.”
In Dallas, the Cowboys will be without Tyler Smith for a while after the offensive lineman suffered a thumb injury that requires surgery and comes with a recovery window of four to six weeks. Even so, the team sounds comfortable handing the job to T.J. Bass in the meantime.
“ Tyler Smith ‘s a great player, but we feel really confident in T.J., and he’s put great film on here,” HC Brian Schottenheimer told the team website. “He’s played next to Cooper Beebe, he’s played next to [Tyler] Guyton, so that’s nothing new, the communication and all that stuff…We tendered him the way we tendered him because we trust this guy as a football player.
He’s a damn good football player that unfortunately is just playing behind a lot of really, really good players. So we have great confidence in T.J.”
The Giants’ recent contracts also came into focus, with Dan Duggan reporting that Jon Runyan’s two-year, $22 million extension carries $19.25 million guaranteed, plus $2.25 million in injury guarantees. Duggan added that Runyan will count for $6.98 million against the cap in 2026, $12.79 million in 2027, and $14 million in 2028.
Runyan’s $1.22 million salary in 2026 and $9.04 million salary in 2027 are fully guaranteed, while his $10.25 million salary in 2028 includes $2.25 million guaranteed for injury only. He can also earn up to $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses in 2027 and 2028.
Duggan also reported the details of Jameis Winston’s two-year, $13 million deal. The contract includes $12.24 million in total guarantees, and Winston will count for $3.53 million against this year’s salary cap, $7.32 million in 2027, and $7.17 million in 2028.
Winston received a $3.5 million signing bonus. His $1.3 million salary in 2026 and $6.05 million salary in 2027 are fully guaranteed, while $1.39 million of his $5.65 million salary in 2028 is guaranteed.
In Other News...
Commanders May Be Nearing The End With One Of Their Steadiest Veterans
Tress Way has been one of the most familiar and steady faces in Washington since taking over punting duties in 2014, and the veteran specialist is now openly acknowledging the finish line may be coming into view. Way told reporters the 2026 season could be his last, and he has already let general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn know he is strongly considering retirement.
For a player who has earned three Pro Bowl selections and was recently voted a team captain for the fifth time, the possibility carries real weight inside a locker room that has long leaned on his consistency and professionalism. Way has been part of so much of the franchises recent history that his decision will resonate well beyond special teams, even if the final call is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Depth Chart Just Settled A Few Camp Battles Early
The first depth chart of the 2026 season gave the Commanders an early snapshot of where a few camp competitions stand after the opening stretch of work. Treylon Burks showed up as the third receiver ahead of rookie Antonio Williams, while undrafted rookie Tanoa Togiai landed backup spots at both guard positions, giving Washington a clearer picture of how the early roster puzzle is taking shape on offense.
On the other side of the ball, the back end of the defense stayed mostly familiar, with the top cornerbacks and safeties holding their places. Special teams brought one of the more notable developments, too, as Stevens emerged as the new kicker after beating out Jake Moody, another sign that the roster is starting to sort itself out even if a few jobs still have plenty of camp left to play. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Will Have Strong Feelings About This Kyle Shanahan Debate
Kyle Shanahans name has a way of stirring things up in Washington, even when there is no real movement behind the scenes. NFL insider Jason La Canfora recently floated the idea that Shanahans time with the 49ers could come to an end after the upcoming season, and from there the discussion quickly turned to the Commanders, where the connection is obvious enough to get attention. For a franchise still sorting out its long-term identity, any conversation involving Shanahan naturally pulls fans into the larger debate about what the next era could look like.
Still, the path from speculation to reality looks extremely narrow right now. Shanahan is under contract, has his own history with the organization, and his career has long pointed in a different direction than a return to Washington in either a head coach or offensive coordinator role. For now, there have been no official moves or decisions, which leaves this as more of a fan-friendly debate than a true pursuit, even if it is the kind of possibility Commanders supporters will keep talking about. [Read more 🡒]