Jayden Daniels had a pretty impressive rookie campaign in 2024. But that changed in the 2025 season as he entered a slump that changed the narrative around him. And now, former New York Jets scout Daniel Kelly believes that his time in Washington might be coming to an end. 

“Jayden Daniels is on his way out with the Commanders,”  he announced on X. 

This statement was tacked on to a snippet from his April interview with The Sports Junkies, in which Kelly shared his honest concerns for the young quarterback’s trajectory. 

“The thing that concerns me the most about what I saw of Jayden Daniels last year wasn’t the injuries,” he said. “I mean, yeah, he loves to run like he’s Derrick Henry, and he doesn’t have the build for it. His completion percentage plummeted last year in terms of his accuracy. But the thing that concerns me the most about Jayden Daniels is I didn’t see the same confidence or swag that he showed in his rookie season. That didn’t show up at all.”

Drafted second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Daniels took the league by storm. He went 12-5 as a rookie starting quarterback for the Commanders, taking the team to the NFC Championship in the 2024 season. Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and recorded 25 touchdowns, while also recording 891 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. A 25-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 100.1 passer rating made him one of the best rookie prospects for the Commanders. 

All that brought him the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, a Pro Bowl nod, the NFC Offensive Player of the Week (Week 3) honor, and the Offensive Rookie of the Month (September) title. 

Daniels seemed unstoppable. However, things went haywire in 2025.

He missed 10 games last year due to injuries, and the Commanders finished the season with an embarrassing 5-12 record. Daniels was simply not on the field long enough for Kelly to see the swagger, but what he showed when he was healthy wasn’t that eye-catching either.

Beyond his individual struggles, Daniels also lacked offensive weapons. He just had Terry McLaurin to rely on in the passing attack. 

This is where disgruntled San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk comes into the fold.

The scorned wide receiver is making a villain out of the 49ers, wanting to be let go by the team. And at the same time, he’s expressed his desire to play for the Commanders, calling them the “best team.” 

It is highly unlikely that Washington will bring Aiyuk to the team, simply because he has become a massive PR red flag. However, Aiyuk seems confident he’ll be able to suit up in the burgundy and gold, claiming that he’ll sign with them as soon as the 49ers let him go.

Aiyuk played with Daniels for a year at Arizona State. Recently, the QB was confronted by an angry fan who hurled curses at Aiyuk as Daniels laughed it off.

Whether a potential reunion with Aiyuk can salvage Daniels’ confidence and secure his future in Washington remains to be seen. But until the Commanders make a definitive move to surround him with the necessary talent, speculation regarding his looming exit will only continue to grow.