The Washington Commanders have to add talent around Jayden Daniels if they want to maximize the window they have him on his rookie contract and make a run to the Super Bowl in the next three years. 

Nobody saw it coming ahead of the 2024 campaign, but Daniels emerged as the most electric young QB in the NFL, putting together arguably the best rookie season of any player at his position in league history. 

While Daniels rare athleticism blended with Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury’s willingness to custom-tailor the Commanders offense to the rookie QB’s strength played a major factor in the team’s unprecedented run to the NFC Championship game, it’s even more impressive considering the lack of talent that surrounded him in 2024. 

Beyond Terry McLaurin — who solidified himself as a No. 1 WR in 2024 with over 1,000 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns which earned him first team Pro Bowl honors — Daniels had very little elite talent to work with and still found a way to lead the Commanders one game away from the Super Bowl. 

Look at the best teams in the NFL right now. The Philadelphia Eagles have two No. 1 WRs in AJ Brown and Devontae Smith, with a dynamic tight end in Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley creating nightmares for opposing defenses. 

The Detroit Lions have a similar situation, with WRs Ama-ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams keeping defenses on their toes, with Sam La-Porta as a constant threat over the middle as an elite pass-catching tight end. Add the running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and its easy to see why Detroit was so hard to slow down in 2024. 

The Washington Commanders had to rely on a committee of wideouts that would be third or fourth options on other teams like Noah Brown, Dyami Brown and Olamade Zaccheus. Daniels found chemistry with Zach Ertz who put together a solid season in his 13th year, but it was clear the wear and tear is taking a toll on him and he isn’t the dynamic tight end he once was. The running back duo of Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekler helped at times, but was nonexistent in plenty games for the Commanders in 2024. 

Washington is entering the offseason with the third most salary cap space of any team in the NFL and it’s no secret the Commanders brass plans to add talent around Daniels. 

Earlier this week, the Rams announced 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp was going to be traded and several analysts and even a former Washington head coach pegged D.C. as the top landing spot for the dynamic WR. 

Here’s what NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadia said about the Commanders being the best trading partner with the Rams for Kupp: 

The Washington Commanders struck gold with Jayden Daniels in Year 1. Now it’s time to keep giving him weapons to put this team in position to make another run at the NFC championship. Terry McLaurin is a great talent at receiver. Washington needs more than that for this offense to keep evolving. The Commanders are projected to have a ton of cap space, so they can handle Kupp’s contract. They also have the understanding that the team that beat them in the NFC Championship Game, the Philadelphia Eagles, reside with them in the NFC East. It won’t be easy for the Commanders to again go as far as they did in 2024, but adding Kupp will make that goal much more attainable.

Former Washington head coach Jay Gruden also listed the Commanders as the No. 1 choice to trade for Kupp, noting he would compliment McLaurin perfectly and his toughness would fit well with the culture Dan Quinn is building.