The Washington Commanders had a new ownership group ahead of the 2023 campaign. Then they went on to post a 4-13 record. For any franchise, that’s reason enough for a new ownership group to take action and make real changes with the team.
For the Commanders, Dan Quinn is now the head coach with two new coordinators helping him out. The team is returning minimal production from a season ago. For those reasons, plus more, ESPN listed Washington among the teams “most likely” to improve during the 2024 NFL season.
READ MORE: Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Reveals Thoughts on ‘Earning’ Starting Job
“After a failed attempt to hire Ben Johnson, enter the new front office of coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters, who have stocked the cupboard for Washington in an interesting way,” ESPN wrote. “I’m loath to compare another bad team from 2023 to the Texans, but there are similarities beyond the fact that both chose a high-upside quarterback with the No. 2 pick in the draft.”
The Texans comparison for the Commanders might be a stretch, but it’s also an easy comparison to make, as ESPN alluded to. Jayden Daniels, a Heisman-winning LSU product, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and could significantly turn the team around.
“Jayden Daniels is the player who could most dramatically propel the Commanders forward, and, as with the Texans, there are players here who could look a lot better if the quarterback play improves,” ESPN continued. “We haven’t seen Terry McLaurin play with even an average NFL quarterback so far. Jahan Dotson flashed as a rookie before going quiet with Howell last season.”
Daniels has the ability to elevate the play of the offense, and improving that side of the ball might be what Washington really needs to turn the corner as a franchise. His dual-threat ability allows offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury the ability to be creative within the offense and involve a variety of players.
“Free agent addition Austin Ekeler struggled with the Chargers in 2023, but he’s one year removed from a 1,637-yard, 18-touchdown season. Second-round tight end Ben Sinnott drew pre-draft comparisons to another former Washington player in Chris Cooley. If Daniels arrives ready to go, everyone in this group will look a lot better,” ESPN wrote.
A huge improvement might not quite show in the win total, as Daniels could elevate the offense in a big way and Washington could still only win six or seven games. What’s important on the season is that Daniels shows promise as the franchise quarterback while the Commanders learn how to build around him.
READ MORE: Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Announced as Week 1 Starter
Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.
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