by Noah Levin ‘27 and Braden Forchheimer ‘27
With the Commanders’ season ending in a heartbreaking conference championship loss, we look into the future. Here were the new signings for the season: The Commanders capitalized on the opportunity to build depth over the offseason, signing no- table players such as Zach Ertz, Austin Ekeler, Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, and Dante Fowler. This further equipped the Commanders’ 24-year-old prodigy, Jayden Daniels, with the tools to build a dominant team. As the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, the expectations for Daniels were incredibly high. Their offense was potent, putting up 28.5 points per game, which was good for fifth in the league. On the other hand, their defense struggled. In particular, the Commanders ranked 30th in the league in run defense, leaving them vulnerable to any team with a viable running back option. The Commanders brought in many rookies as well: Notably, Mike Sainristil and Jer’Zahn Newton were highly touted young players coming into the 2024 season. However, the most famous and talented quarterback is Jayden Daniels. Despite the sky-high expectations, Daniels exceeded what anyone could have expected, winning Rookie of the Year and leading the Commanders to a conference championship. Under Daniels and new head coach Dan Quinn, the Commanders were able to clinch more wins than expected, posting a 12-5 regular season record and picking up two victories in the playoffs. Initially, early predictions had them finishing 4-13, but that narrative was quickly flipped. Terry Mclaurin proved himself as a star wide receiver in 2024: his breakout year included a Pro Bowl appearance, along with 1100 yards and 13 touchdowns. Many regarded the season as a complete shock, particularly following their playoff run. Sophomore Sinjin Bromer said, “Jayden Daniels completely exceeded my expectations. I did not see the Commanders getting past six wins.” The Commanders had a dominant and tone-setting win over the number one seed Detroit Lions, proving their potential for greatness. Although their season was later cut short in a heartbreaking loss against the Eagles, Jayden Daniels is now one of 5 quarterbacks in history to lead his team to the conference championship, and he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Here’s what we have to look forward to: The Commanders go into the offseason with 121 million dollars worth of cap space to work with, now that players like Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz’s contracts have expired. However, they can still play at a high level despite
being an older team. By playing to their strengths of veteran experience and strategy, along with the youth and athleticism of stars like McLaurin and Daniels, many predict an impressive 2025 sea-
son for the commanders. Additionally, the Commanders recently traded for Deebo Samuels. Samuels is an athletic and exciting wide receiver who is lightning-fast and can run the ball effectively when asked to.
Sophomore Flynn Fountain said “They should sign Tee Higgins and trade for Myles Garrett. Some of their weaker positions are their edge rushers, offensive line, running back, and weapons for Jayden Daniels to utilize in his Sophomore season.” After years of disappointment, injuries, poor management, and ownership, D.C. fans have finally been blessed with a fun, exciting, and talented football team to cheer on. Whether or not they make it to the Super Bowl next year, the Commanders hope to improve on last year, as star Jayden Daniels further matures and improves his game.
