Jayden Daniels had the kind of stat line that should usually travel well after a prime-time game: 300 passing yards, two touchdowns, and nearly 73% completions. But the numbers didn’t change the result Monday night, and they didn’t quiet the conversation around the Washington Commanders quarterback after a 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Daniels was asked again to carry Washington late, and again the comeback bid fell short. The Commanders dropped to 1-4-1, with Daniels’ performance becoming part of a bigger debate about what his season has looked like since he returned from injury.
He has been managing that issue since Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, when he dislocated his left elbow for the second time in his professional career. After missing two weeks, Daniels came back wearing a full arm brace, but questions have continued to follow him about whether the injury is steering Washington’s 2024 top draft pick in the wrong direction.
That concern has already been voiced loudly before. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith made the comparison in September to Robert Griffin III, the former Washington quarterback whose career was derailed by injury.
“I feel bad for the Washington Commanders fanbase. This is RG3 written all over again,” Smith said. “Former No. 2 overall pick, offense rookie of the year…dual threat, slender build, and you’ve incurred these injuries.”
On Monday, former NFL star and FS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho added his own blunt assessment on his YouTube podcast, Speakeasy, after Daniels’ uneven outing against San Francisco. Acho drew a line between Daniels and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who has also been under scrutiny early this season.
“Jayden Daniels is simply a melanated Justin Herbert,” Acho said. “Jayden Daniels is living off the wild success of his rookie season.
Justin Herbert rookie season: 35 touchdowns; we’ve never seen anything like it. Justin Herbert, like a kite, was able to glide for years off of that rookie season.
Jayden Daniels’ rookie season, NFC Championship Game, we hadn’t truly seen anything like it. And for the last 18 months now, Jayden Daniels has been gliding off the success of that rookie campaign.
But eventually the wind has to stop blowing, and we have to realize what the hell is going on.
“Jayden Daniels was as unimpressive today as he was impressive. He missed as many throws as he did indeed make; he made as many bad decisions as he made quality decisions.
How do you throw the ball away on 4th and 2, and with the game on the line, you take a sack? Somebody has to make it make sense.
When I see Jayden Daniels, I see Justin Herbert with a tan. When I see Jayden Daniels, I see Justin Herbert; that’s what I see right now.
It’s frustrating.”
Daniels did show the kind of burst that made him such a force in 2024, but the sharp edge wasn’t there all the way through. The final output looked strong on paper, yet the Commanders still walked away with another loss - and the questions around their young quarterback kept building.
In Other News...
Dan Quinn Just Opened The Door To A Commanders O-Line Shakeup
The Commanders are still sorting through a stretch that has tested both sides of the ball, and the latest roster churn is a reminder of how quickly depth can get stretched. While Steve Wilks has been brought in to help the defensive staff and veteran lineman Laremy Tunsil continues to offer leadership despite injury, the offense has had its own issues, with receiver Stefon Diggs struggling with multiple drops and the line not playing cleanly enough for Dan Quinns liking.
Quinn made it clear he sees the offensive line as a spot that could change, and he did not shut the door on personnel adjustments as Washington tries to steady things. Elsewhere, receiver Jaylin Lane had surgery for a fractured and dislocated ankle and is expected back before offseason workouts, while the kind of roster movement that always follows a rough stretch has already started to show up around the edges of the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Next Two Games Could Shape A Painful Deadline Choice
Washingtons next two games loom larger than a normal midseason stretch because they could help decide whether this front office leans into a sell-off or keeps trying to ride out the season with the current group. The Commanders have a losing record, but they are still close enough in the NFC East to make the deadline conversation more complicated than a simple teardown, especially with a roster that includes veterans who would draw real interest on the market.
Stefon Diggs and Daron Payne have already surfaced as the kinds of players rival teams would monitor if Washington decides to shop help for future draft capital. The challenge for the Commanders is balancing short-term competitiveness with the temptation to turn veterans into assets, and the next two games could go a long way toward deciding whether this becomes a push for relevance or a painful reset. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinn Suddenly Has A Commanders Problem That Feels Different
The loss to the 49ers left Washington stuck at 1-4-1 and alone in the basement of the NFC East, but the noise around Dan Quinn went well beyond one bad Sunday. On ESPN, Stephen A. Smith pointed to what he sees as bigger issues than a single defeat, criticizing the Commanders for clock management and for not showing enough progress in developing a quarterback under Quinns watch.
Chris Canty added another layer to the conversation by wondering whether a change could come sooner rather than later. With the bye week up next, the discussion is no longer just about the record or the latest blown opportunity. It has turned into a wider question about whether this staff has enough time to steady the season, or whether Washington is already preparing for a reset. [Read more 🡒]