Commanders still putting pieces around Jayden Daniels
After addressing tight end and offensive line, Washington appears headed toward drafting receivers for Jayden Daniels.
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PHOENIX -- When Jayden Daniels participated in the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic three weeks ago in Los Angeles, the Washington Commanders weren't holding their breath the entire time. But they also didn't fully exhale until the game ended.
"I'm not going to say I wasn't nervous," owner Josh Harris said at the NFL meetings, "but I'm glad we got through that one."
That's because for all the help they want to provide Daniels this season -- with an improved roster and a new offense -- they know the first step begins with him staying healthy after a season in which he played only four full games because of three different injuries (sprained knee, hamstring and dislocated elbow).
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But the Commanders also know they need to keep building around him, so as general manager Adam Peters said, "it's not all on his shoulders to win the game."
To that end, the Commanders have helped in some significant ways (signing tight end Chig Okonkwo) and subtle ways (re-signing left guard Chris Paul and extending left tackle Laremy Tunsil).
But they need to do more.
There's no doubt they'd like to add more receiving help, someone who could be a strong second option alongside Terry McLaurin. They tried to sign Alec Pierce, who opted to remain in Indianapolis, and pursued Romeo Doubs before he signed with New England.
They can address receiver in the draft, either with the seventh pick or, because it's considered a deep draft for wideouts, with the 71st selection. There's always Brandon Aiyuk, in whom they'd be interested if/when San Francisco releases him.
"I like the [receiver] room right now," Peters said, "but... we have a lot of time to add before we play in September."
As multiple league sources -- coaches and executives -- have said, Washington's roster needed work two years ago, but Daniels was viewed as an "eraser." One coach who faced Daniels last season said, "He hid all the warts." Washington rode that ability to the NFC Championship Game in a year in which he played in all 20 games. They hope their moves help get them back to that spot.
Here's how the Commanders have helped their third-year quarterback so far this offseason.
A healthy Jayden Daniels would go a long way toward righting the ship for the Commanders. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images They got him a playmaking tight end Zach Ertz served as Daniels' security blanket over the past two seasons. Nobody caught more passes from Daniels than Ertz (81). Only McLaurin caught more touchdown passes in the red zone (nine) from Daniels than Ertz (eight).
But Ertz sustained a torn ACL in December, and Washington signed Okonkwo, providing the Commanders a young player who has a different game than the veteran. Okonkwo has not been as effective as Ertz in the red zone (he has caught just 12 passes with five touchdowns in his first four seasons), but he excels after the catch, averaging 6.2 yards last season. Only six tight ends gained more yards after the catch than Okonkwo last season, all of whom had at least 16 more receptions.
Washington likes him on routes over the middle of the field -- deep digs and crossers -- and can have him run those routes off play-action, tapping into his ability to run away from defenders. He's also adept in the screen game.
"I love the speed," Washington coach Dan Quinn said. "Some people have timed speed and then demonstrated game speed and I felt that with Chig.
"In a play-action-heavy scheme, someone like that adds a lot."
One former coach in Tennessee said he could envision Okonkwo even lining up in the backfield and carrying it once in a while. He carried the ball six times with the Titans, but none last season.
"He's capable of running a speed sweep," Quinn said.
Chig Okonkwo brings a much different set of skills to the tight end position than Zach Ertz. Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images They added depth to the backfield Washington signed two free agent running backs in Rachaad White and Jerome Ford, and re-signed Jeremy McNichols to go along with Jacory Croskey-Merritt. There's still a chance they could add a back in the draft, perhaps as high as No. 7 with Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love.
Peters said he wouldn't have "any trepidation" about taking a running back that high. But he also pointed out that they drafted Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round last season and he ended up rushing for 805 yards and eight touchdowns.
"If that person can impact your team in a certain way, then you would take them, regardless of their position," Peters said.
Quinn said he liked the running back additions. In Tampa Bay, White had 1,539 yards from scrimmage three years ago and 1,006 in 2024 as Bucky Irving became the lead back.
"Rachaad's always been somebody that in the passing game has been significant," Quinn said. "He's smooth. He was always a matchup in the pass game or screen game I thought was good."
Jacory Croskey-Merritt popped in his rookie season, rushing for 805 yards and eight touchdowns. Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire They're changing the offense New offensive coordinator David Blough will run an offense that looks different than what previous coordinator Kliff Kingsbury ran the past two seasons. The Commanders want a stronger emphasis on the run game. But Blough also will use more play-action passes with the quarterback starting from under center (Daniels has attempted 18 such passes combined in his first 24 regular-season games).
"The play action, coming from under center, that helps," Quinn said, "and a passer as accurate and strong-armed as Jayden allows deep play passes to take place. That excites us."
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Just having Daniels back makes a difference in the offense -- and Quinn says having him in Blough's offense will help elevate his game.
"He changes the math of the game," Quinn said. "He makes other players around him better. The defense has to play differently because of him."
Their belief: The offense, run by Daniels, will feature more explosive gains, and any whispers of a Daniels' regression will be silenced.
"He's going to make the jump that you think," Quinn said. "It just has got derailed in Year 2 due to injuries, but it wasn't due to anything other than that."
Quinn and Blough have also said the offense, and the outside zone run game in particular, should fit Croskey-Merritt, if he's the No. 1 back. He was ninth among running backs in percentage of carries resulting in gains of 10-plus yards.
"It's the one cut, the ability for him to make the explosive play, to get onto the second and third level," Quinn said. "He can create when the play is not blocked just right. He can make somebody miss. Now you got a chance for a big play."
They may not be done yet
All the moves add up, they hope, to putting less pressure on Daniels. But they still need to add the receiver and settle on their center after releasing last season's starter, Tyler Biadasz. Veteran Nick Allegretti, who has played 172 regular-season snaps at center, including 93 last season, started every game at left guard in 2024 and is considered a leader among the offensive linemen.
"Nick wins," Quinn said. "We won a lot of games with Nick. We're up for the competition, and he is, too, but we definitely would say, 'OK, he's a guy we absolutely trust in that space.'"
They also re-signed left guard Paul, so four of the five starters will return. And if their defense improves under new coordinator Daronte Jones and with perhaps as many as five or six new starters -- including four free agent signings -- then Daniels won't always have to win a shootout.
More takeaways from the defense would help, too. Washington ranked 31st in takeaways the past two years combined. The Commanders allowed an NFL-worst 38.2 yards per drive last season. Better third down defense -- they allowed 41 more first downs in 2025 than the previous year -- and more takeaways will give Daniels more opportunities.
"It's not just on Jayden," Peters said. "It's a team effort, but certainly it's a premium to keep him healthy."
