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Daily Slop – 15 Jul 25 – ESPN says Jayden Daniels is the 5th best QB in the NFL right now

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A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff

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ESPN

Execs, coaches, scouts rank NFL’s top 10 QBs for 2025

A reminder of the rankings process: Voters gave us their best 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. In total, more than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed helped us break any ties.

5. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: 10

Age: 24 | Last year’s ranking: not eligible (rookie)

Daniels’ phenomenal rookie season demanded an appearance somewhere in the top 10. That he pushed his way into the top five, narrowly outdistancing Stafford in the voting, shows voters have no problem validating his hype.

Last season, Daniels posted the fourth-highest QBR in the NFL (70.6), the best mark for a rookie since Dak Prescott in 2016. But he was even better on third and fourth downs, recording a league-leading 95.3 QBR on those downs.

“Single-handedly took one of the worst franchises to the NFC title game as a rookie with a bad defense, one legitimate wide receiver, a dinosaur at tight end [12th-year pro Zach Ertz] and average-at-best OL,” said an NFL coordinator who prepared for Daniels last season. “The kid can read coverages, throw with accuracy and touch to all levels of the field, just as dangerous as Lamar and Josh Allen with his legs and has a clutch factor to him because his team already believes that if he has the ball with a chance to win, he’s going to find a way. If he repeats anything close to his rookie year, he’s no lower than No. 3 on this list next year.”

Daniels was a true dual threat in his rookie year, ranking second in the NFL in yards per rush (6.0) and first in scramble yards (570).

Sometimes the Year 1 hype can be tough to replicate. C.J. Stroud landed at No. 7 last season and struggled at times in Year 2, though he has shown enough to convince Houston he’s clearly the long-term answer. Some around the league are at least asking the question of whether Daniels’ play will taper off a bit as defenses adjust to both him and Washington’s offense. But the consensus is Daniels has too much going for him.

“Won 12 games with a mediocre-at-best defense and just a decent offensive roster around him,” an NFC coordinator said. “System he plays in requires him to play off-schedule and make plays with his feet on a regular basis for success. And he is still solid in the pocket.”

Commanders.com

Commanders 2025 training camp preview | Wide receiver

  • How will Deebo Samuel diversify the offense? The Commanders traded for Samuel hoping they could provide Daniels with a reliable No. 2 wide receiver who could also expand their options within the offense. Samuel certainly has the resume to accomplish that, and Peters has a good idea of his skill set since he helped draft him out of South Carolina. The 49ers used Samuel at multiple spots on the field, and there was some of that during the Commanders’ OTAs and minicamp, although we won’t get a real picture until the season begins in September. Still, given Samuel’s history and his new coaching staff’s reputation for having clear plans on how to maximize players’ talents, it’s reasonable to assume Samuel will be a Swiss Army knife for Washington. We’ll have to wait and see how effective that strategy will be for the Burgundy & Gold.
  • Can Jaylin Lane become an immediate contributor? The Commanders believe the quality of their five draft picks makes up for the lack of quantity, and Lane is a good example of that. The front office was excited when he fell to Washington in the fourth round, not just for his ability as a punt returner but for his speed, quickness and route running ability. Lane flashed at times during minicamp, and there is some expectation that he will improve the offense at some point. It will be interesting to see how soon that day arrives for Lane. If it is during this season, then the bottom of Washington’s receiver room will be much more potent with him and Luke McCaffrey in the slot. There’s also his ability as a returner to consider. It’s been almost 10 years since the Commanders scored a punt return touchdown. Even if that is Lane’s primary role as a rookie, it would help the roster to find a long-term solution at the position.
  • Who will take the final spots? Anything can happen in camp, but it looks like five spots are already locked up at receiver: McLaurin, Brown, Samuel, McCaffrey and Lane. That leaves only one or two spots left, and there are some interesting names in the group. Moore has been around the league for years but had some positive plays during minicamp. Gallup was a low-risk, high-reward pickup in the offseason who could be an interesting addition if he shows the talent he had in Dallas. Osborn has been on the roster since last season and has the potential to be a solid player at the bottom of the depth chart. All those players and others have a solid shot of making waves in August, but none are surefire locks. They’ll need to prove they can elevate the position group to be on the initial 53-man roster.
Heavy.com

Commanders Pro Bowl Wave Might Just Begin

6. Mike Sainristil (CB)

The second-year corner had 14 pass breakups and two interceptions as a rookie. Sainristil’s aggressive play style and awareness fit perfectly in Washington’s defense. If he takes another step, voters will notice.

7. Jer’Zhan Newton (DT)

Newton impressed with seven tackles for loss and two sacks in 2024. The rookie All-American has the explosiveness to wreak havoc inside. Another offseason in the weight room could unlock his Pro Bowl potential.

8. Laremy Tunsil (OT)

The Commanders traded for five-time Pro Bowler Tunsil in March 2025. He brings instant credibility to the offensive line. If Washington’s offense continues to click, coaches and peers will reward his protection skills.

9. Tyler Biadasz (C)

Biadasz anchors the offensive line with consistency and toughness. The former Wisconsin standout is entering his prime. If the run game improves and protection holds, he’ll earn national respect.

10. Quan Martin (S)

Martin might be the most underrated player in Washington. He brings intelligence, range, and poise to the secondary. Coaches rave about his film work and leadership. This season could finally earn him a spot in Orlando.

CBS Sports

2025 NFL head coach rankings

Tier 2: Serviceable veterans

These coaches aren’t necessarily slam-dunk bets to go the distance, either due to lack of experience, uneven stretches or recent woes, but they’ve also shown enough to warrant additional patience and belief.

14. Dan Quinn (Commanders)

  • 2024 Rank: 20
  • Season: 2nd with Commanders, 8th as coach
  • Career record: 55-47 | Playoffs: 5-3 (0-1 in Super Bowls)

Few coaches enjoyed such a catapult in stock in 2024. That may be mostly due to Jayden Daniels’ magical dynamism at quarterback. His coordinator hire of Kliff Kingsbury was part of the equation, though, as was his experience on the playoff stage.

Riggo’s Rag

Luke McCaffrey could be the Commanders surprise almost nobody expected

McCaffrey got plenty of game-time experience in a competitive setting, but targets were in short supply. The former Rice standout made his opportunities count. However, it was evident that he was pretty far down the pecking order.

The most impressive contribution McCaffrey made was in the kick return game. He’ll likely keep these responsibilities alongside rookie Jaylin Lane in 2025, but his exceptional progress over Washington’s offseason program indicates more could be in the offing.

Breakout buzz continues for Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey in 2025

This was a sentiment echoed by Mike Jones from The Athletic. He named McCaffrey as Washington’s breakout candidate in 2025, highlighting his improved knowledge of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s schematic concepts and his relationship with quarterback Jayden Daniels as the biggest reasons for optimism.

“A product of great football pedigree, the second-year slot receiver understood what he needed to work on following his rookie season, and he did just that. During offseason practices, [Luke] McCaffrey put those results on display as he demonstrated an improved understanding of the playbook and improved confidence. As a result, he played faster and more effectively. Having also improved his connection with quarterback Jayden Daniels, McCaffrey should make strides and carve out a meaningful role in 2025.”

Mike Jones

Commanders Wire

Commanders’ WR attends Chad Johnson’s ‘Wideout Workshop’

[L]egendary wide receiver Chad Johnson [created] the “Wideout Workshop” for NFL wide receivers and [held] the first event last week. It was attended by stars such as Ja’Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill, Tee Higgins and Courtland Sutton.

The Washington Commanders were represented, too. No, it wasn’t Terry McLaurin or Deebo Samuel. Instead, K.J. Osborn, claimed off waivers last December and re-signed to a one-year deal in March, attended. Osborn, 28, is entering his sixth NFL season in 2025, having spent four years with the Vikings before splitting time with the Patriots and Commanders last season. Osborn only appeared in one game for Washington, but has 165 career receptions and 16 touchdowns.

Osborn is battling for a roster spot, so it’s smart for him to get as many reps as possible before training camp opens next week. McLaurin, Samuel, rookie Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey and Noah Brown figure to have five receiver spots locked up. So, Osborn could be competing for the final receiver spot on Washington’s 53-man roster.

Commanders.com

2025 opponent breakdown | Detroit Lions

  • Can the offensive line recover from its losses? The Lions had one of the best offensive lines in the sport last season, which helped them rank sixth in rushing yards per game and 10th in total sacks. Now, longtime center Frank Ragnow has retired, and Kevin Zeitler signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency. The Lions do have some answers for the massive hole created by both players; Graham Glasgow is set to switch from guard to center, while rookie Tate Ratledge will compete for a starting guard spot. That means the Lions will have a new interior up front, and it could take some time for the three players, including Christian Mahogany, to get comfortable with each other. The Lions will start the season with games against the Packers, Bears and Ravens, none of which will be easy opponents.
  • Can Aidan Hutchinson return to dominance? Hutchinson only played in five games last season and still managed to lead the Lions in sacks, so that should tell you all you need to know about how important he is to the team’s pass rush. Hutchinson had an exceptional start to his career by finishing second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2022 and making his first Pro Bowl in 2023. He took a dramatic step as a pass-rusher in 2023, doubling his quarterback hits from 15 to 33 and getting 11.5 sacks. He had to sit out for most of the 2025 season because of a fractured tibia and fibula. Hutchinson was fully cleared in June and said he believes he is still in a good position heading into his fourth season. However, as with anyone who has suffered a serious injury that requires significant recovery time, he will still need to show that he is healthy.
  • How will the Lions react to their coaching changes? After years of being courted by other teams, Ben Johnson has finally left the Lions to become the Chicago Bears’ head coach. The same goes for Aaron Glenn, who is now leading the New York Jets. Johnson and Glenn working as the offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, were just as critical to Detroit’s success as the roster itself. Johnson maximized Goff’s skill set and orchestrated the second-best offense in football last season, while Glenn led a tough, solid unit that struggled down the stretch because of injuries. Dan Campbell is still the main voice for the Lions, but losing both coordinators in the same offseason can be a tough adjustment for any team. It will be interesting to see how John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard, the new offensive and defensive coordinators, will handle the new responsibility.

Podcasts & videos

Power Hour with Chris Long! Ranking all 32 Teams | The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny

(Commanders are discussed around the 09:36 mark. Spoiler alert: Chris Long is a Jayden Commanders fan)

NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

5 unanswered Eagles questions in mid-July

Will There Be Growing Pains with Kevin Patullo as the New OC?

After a brilliant 2022 in which Shane Steichen put together one of the greatest play-calling seasons in franchise history, he departed Nick Sirianni’s staff to take over as head coach of the Colts. In his wake, the Eagles hired QB coach Brian Johnson to replace him. Johnson had never called plays prior to taking over as offensive coordinator for the ‘23 season, and it didn’t go well.

Last off-season, Kellen Moore was brought aboard after Johnson was fired. While the offense, specifically the passing game, didn’t blow anyone’s socks off, it ultimately did function at a higher level and reached new heights in the playoffs, led mainly by the running prowess of Barkley and Jalen Hurts. But after just one season, Moore is gone and the team is once again turning to an untested play-caller, former passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo.

Patullo served as an assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs under Chan Gailey, and then as wide receivers coach with Nick Sirianni in Indianapolis. Brought to Philadelphia by Sirianni in 2021, Patullo has climbed the ladder and now takes over as offensive coordinator, calling plays for the first time in his career.

Will this time be different than Johnson’s failed run as OC two years ago? There’s reason to believe it will.

First, the Eagles still have Barkley. Second, Hurts’ mobility appeared lacking during the ‘23 season, and re-emerged last year as a signature part of his game. Third, the offensive line remains one of the best in football, and even though Hurts will have his fourth play-caller in five seasons, the offense is going to look a lot like it did a year ago. This really is the Hurts/Saquon offense more than it is “Patullo’s” offense.

That said, we won’t know how effectively the Eagles’ offense will function with Patullo as the new play-caller until the regular season gets underway.

NFL league links

Articles

Over the Cap

2nd Round Contract Negotiations

There is currently a waiting game going on with the 2nd round picks drafted this year. The basics of the hold up center on one team going over expected slot with the guaranteed salary and the presence of a QB in the round that could help the other players earn higher guarantees. Each year the guaranteed percentages usually get higher but the expectation was that the top pick would gain the full guarantee and the 2nd would probably be at 95% or so.

Odds are strongly against the entire round getting a 100% guarantee but if the top 5 can get there it will help the others grow at a quicker than expected rate.

The question is how much should the teams fight this? Based on historical data it is understandable why there may be some consideration given to the holding off on future guaranteed years. Here is the year by year breakdown of how long players remained with their original team who were drafted in round 2 from 2015 through 2022.


Looking at the numbers you can see why this is a somewhat meaningful fight. Two years is a virtual guarantee for the 2nd rounders but the numbers do drop at three years and fall drastically at 4 years. My assumption is that over time the NFL would concede at a three year guarantee but would be more hesitant to get deep into those 4th year guarantees especially as the round progresses.

Overall I think the union would be better served putting more and more energy into formulating a plan to reduce the length of rookie contracts so those who deserve big raises get it quickly but that battle is a few years away when the new CBA comes up.

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