The Commanders were the biggest surprise of 2024. Jayden Daniels, the no. 2 pick of the 2024 draft, arrived there with a motivation to excel in the league. Boy o boy, he did it with such sleek perfection and swagger that confirmed HC Dan Quinn got his most important position right. And the results were historic. An NFC Championship berth after 33 years. Had they not run into the Eagles on their revenge-mission, Daniels could have become the first rookie to play in a Super Bowl.

But the franchise understands he didn’t do it alone. Veteran TEs John Bates and Zach Ertz played crucial roles. So, the Commanders made a very wise decision to not disturb the balance. Why fix something that isn’t broken?

Bates, the 6 feet 6 inches, 259 pounds beast, had shown courage. Despite starting only 6 games (17 played), he had 8 receptions for 84 yards. Overall, in 4 seasons, he has played 67 games (25 as a starter) with 61 receptions for 592 yards with 2 touchdowns. But in the O-line he makes his presence felt by helping others score. This factor stood out as they signed a 3-year extension with him. But the exact details are not out yet. That’s their second major decision over the weekend.

The tight end blew the HC away in the practice session last off-season. Quinn praised Bates and said, “John Bates, just from a blocking standpoint, the physicality.” Even after winning the wild card playoff against the Buccaneers in 2024, the TE-HC duo celebrated on the sidelines. Jayden Daniels’ heroics had given them hope of going all-in.

A proud NFL player, he has achieved success with his fellow TE Zach Ertz on his side. The 34-year-old veteran has been a source of inspiration for his teammates. In early February this year, Bates posted a photo on Instagram with Ertz and captioned it, “Brotherhood.” The mutual love runs deep.

It may be one of the reasons the Commanders didn’t want Ertz to go as his contract ended. They secured him just before the free agency.

Jayden Daniels gets key TE Zach Ertz back

Earlier, they signed the veteran TE Zach Ertz on March 8. He got a 1-year $6.25 million deal, climbing up to 9 million with incentives. Jayden Daniels will be happy that his trusted men are by his side. In 17 games (all starters) in 2024, the TE recorded 66 receptions for 654 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns.

After the season ended, Ertz praised everyone, the coaches, staff, and the managers. But the biggest one was his wish to be 22 years old so he could play an entire NFL career with Jayden Daniels. Now, that’s rarely seen in the ultra-competitive league.

Even the QB was happy with the developments as he posted Ertz re-signing with 6 exclamation marks, “!!!!!!” The fans are hoping that they can close what they missed out on last year. A Super Bowl!