As the training camp kicked off in Ashburn, Virginia, Jayden Daniels found himself in a pickle. The Commanders’ new franchise QB, fresh off his first off-season as ‘the guy,’ looked into the training camp huddle and saw a glaring absence. Terry McLaurin, the team’s heartbeat, was still sidelined by a contract standoff that loomed louder with each passing drill. As contract negotiations dragged on and questions mounted, Daniels made it clear: the clock is ticking, and the front office’s next move could decide not just McLaurin’s future, but the entire trajectory of Washington’s rebuild. In a summer billed as a turning point, it’s now Daniels pressing the urgency. It’s time to get their star back in uniform, or risk letting progress stall before it starts.
Talking about McLaurin’s absence, HC Dan Quinn kept it cool. “It’s part of the business of the NFL. I don’t judge it or get worked up about it. I know Adam and his team, they’re working as hard as they can with Terry. … This happens on teams all over, so the longer you’ve been in it, the more you recognize that’s just how things go.” But McLaurin, feeling unappreciated, didn’t mince words when expressing his frustration with the team, while also noting that he wanted to be with the Commanders. He even subtly mentioned a “point of no return” which got people thinking a trade might be cooking in the backend. But amid all this chaos, Daniels has spoken up about McLaurin’s holdout.
Speaking with Chick Hernandez on WUSA9, Daniels was asked about Terry’s contract and how quickly the QB hopes to “get on the same page” with his WR when he comes back. Daniels leaned in, equal parts hopeful and pointed: “Hopefully very very quickly. Whenever that time is. And I know it’s not going to take much because I know how Terry moves and we kind of know and anticipate things that we could do. But now it’s more so like getting him back in that football shape because it’s different, you know, just training and stuff like that.” He doesn’t say the words ‘pay him,’ but the message is there for anyone listening in Ashburn’s front offices. The Commanders need McLaurin on the field, in pads, and in rhythm with their quarterback. Anything less is a risk, one that Daniels, with all the diplomatic poise, isn’t afraid to underline.
Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay, Florida, USA Tampa Bay, Florida, USA, January 12, 2025, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels at Raymond James Stadium. Photo by Marty Jean-Louis/Sipa USA NOxUSExINxGERMANY PUBLICATIONxINxALGxARGxAUTxBRNxBRAxCANxCHIxCHNxCOLxECUxEGYxGRExINDxIRIxIRQxISRxJORxKUWxLIBxLBAxMLTxMEXxMARxOMAxPERxQATxKSAxSUIxSYRxTUNxTURxUAExUKxVENxYEMxONLY Copyright: xMartyxJean-Louisx Editorial use only
Last season, plenty of eyes were on Jayden Daniels. But few expected him to grab the reins this quickly or to reshape the Commanders‘ identity before his rookie season was even over. Not the fans, not the media, maybe not even Daniels himself. He admits, “I did all right. I could have did better, just a couple of times, a couple of games, couple of throws. I missed… yeah, I did all right”. Even now, his humility colors every answer. Yet, just beneath the surface, there’s an unmistakable current. This is now Daniels’ huddle, and he’s ready to speak up. That’s why Daniels’ words about McLaurin, a team captain and a beacon of consistency, echo with added weight. But as McLaurin’s holdout continues, the QB is also looking ahead at the season, prepping for an eventuality where McLaurin’s not the only one he can throw to. The QB has more explosive weapons around him this year, and he’s already working out with them.
Washington’s new WR is gearing up with Jayden Daniels
If chemistry is king, Jayden Daniels is doing everything to build it, especially in the WR room. With the front office landing Deebo Samuel, the dynamic star from San Francisco, Daniels faces a big test of leadership: integrating new talent while advocating for vital voices like McLaurin. And he’s doing it quite well already. As HC Quinn noted about Daniels, “One thing about I’ve learned over the year from Jayden, there are no limits on him.” Fulfilling that expectation, Daniels and his new weapon seem primed for explosions this season right from training camp.
“We’re putting in that extra work every day… When you’ve got a weapon like Deebo, you want to maximize every single opportunity.” Daniels wasn’t just hyping up his WR, he was actually making the most of every rep in training camp, exactly as advertised. On his very first 11-on-11 drill at camp, Daniels sought out his new weapon. While TE Tyler Owens brought the heat, Samuel was running a slot fade, and Daniels connected with Samuel with an over-the-shoulder throw through a very tight window. While this wasn’t training with the pads, this still showed what the former 49ers Pro Bowler brings to Washington, and how Daniels could make the most of his talents this year.
Daniels has already broken the script last year by taking the Commanders to their first NFC championship game in more than three decades. With Deebo in the mix, Daniels will be all set to ball out in his second NFL season. For Daniels, “It starts with understanding each other off the field.” And as the camp continues, he’ll be working to build more chemistry with his newest weapon. If McLaurin ends up getting traded, Daniels has a strong backup. If McLaurin returns with a new contract, then Washington will have one of the most consistent WR duos in the league. How that will turn out for Daniels this season, we’ll wait and find out.
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