Feb. 20, 2026, 7:45 a.m. ET
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels exploded onto the scene as a rookie in 2024.
The LSU product won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after throwing for 3,568 yards, rushing for 891 more, and accounting for 31 total touchdowns. There were rightfully high expectations for Daniels’ sophomore campaign, but due to injuries, those expectations were not met.
Daniels only played in seven games and ended with 1,262 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. However, many people are still rightfully high on Daniels, including former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty.
Canty is now an NFL analyst on ESPN, and the Super Bowl champion recently revealed his list of the five best quarterbacks in the NFC. Perhaps surprisingly, Canty had Daniels as the No. 2 quarterback in the conference, behind only Matthew Stafford.
“I think what happened in 2025 with the injuries skewed what people think of (Daniels),” Canty explained. “2024 is more representative of him. The Washington Commanders better get serious about finding a way to protect this dude so he can protect the franchise’s future long-term.”
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Caleb Williams, Jalen Hurts, and Sam Darnold were the other three quarterbacks in Canty’s top five list. Notably, Canty omitted passers like Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, and Jordan Love.
It says a lot that Canty thinks so highly of Daniels, considering Canty spent much of his career with the rival Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. The defender won Super Bowl XLVI as a member of the Giants.
The Commanders are definitely hoping to return to relevance in 2026. The team ended with a disappointing 5-12 record in 2025, but coaching changes and an offseason to add reinforcements could have the team right back in the thick of things in the NFC.