Commanders' Jayden Daniels Says He Can Throw Faster, Farther After Offseason Work

Jayden Daniels discussed the results of his offseason preparation as the quarterback attempts to build upon an impressive rookie campaign with the Washington Commanders.

“More accurate, can throw farther for sure,” Daniels said, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. “And then the velocity. So if I need to let one rip … so defenders aren’t able to pick the ball off because of how fast the ball is traveling. It all ties into that for sure.”

The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year also revealed that he focused on further improving his footwork as he prepares to enter his second season in Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's system.

“I think that’s always going to be the biggest piece, is fine-tuning the footwork,” Daniels explained, per Jhabvala. “And obviously, another year in the system, I was more comfortable, so I could tie in different footwork with different concepts that I think Kliff (Kingsbury) would call just working that all offseason. … Just another year of understanding my body and understanding how to get certain throws off of different drops or different movements and how to still get the right throw if I’m throwing clean, if I have to move right or move left, and stuff like that on the run.”

Daniels has already generated attention for his stronger frame in training camp, a promising sign for a Washington squad looking to remain a threat in the NFC after making an appearance in the conference championship game last season.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft blew past expectations during his inaugural year with the Commanders, completing 69.0 percent of his passes for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns to go along with just nine interceptions.

Daniels displayed his dual-threat capabilities as well, setting a new rookie quarterback record by rushing for 891 yards. He also found the end zone six times on the ground.

The Commanders have built around their star signal-caller during the offseason, acquiring wide receiver Deebo Samuel in a March trade with the San Francisco 49ers before adding five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil in a separate swap with the Houston Texans.

As Daniels looks to lead Washington back to the playoffs, he's focused on taking his game to a new level in 2025.