When Jayden Daniels was drafted by the Washington Commanders in 2024, he wasted no time making sure the entire organization knew he meant business. He took charge of the team that year and, under the tutelage of Dan Quinn, helped lead it to its first NFC Championship Game in over 30 years.
His sophomore season was a disappointment. Not because he hit a slump, but because he was rarely on the field due to nursing injuries. The Commanders suffered in 2025 without him on the field, along with the plethora of other injuries sustained on both sides of the ball. Ahead of OTAs this year, wide receiver Terry McLaurin talked about how Daniels set up team workouts in Los Angeles, once again embracing his leadership role within the organization.
Terry McLaurin says Jayden Daniels set up the LA workouts for the practice but also as a bonding event – “he really took charge there” pic.twitter.com/woImXoukiw
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) May 19, 2026
“He led the charge with that,” McLaurin begins. “We just wanted to get connected and kind of start from a Day 1 perspective. At the time, we really didn’t have our offense. We knew some of the roster that would be on the offense, but it was time for us to connect and get some work in. We hadn’t seen each other since the end of the season, so it was just a good time to be out there in LA. I’m not the biggest LA fan, per se, I’m more of an East Coast, down south guy, but Jayden has made me more of an LA person.
“He took care of us,” McLaurin continued. “He’s a very influential person around there, so they rolled out the red carpet and were ready to work out at USC and UCLA. Just a good time to bond and get some work in. It was just important for me to be there. We went to a (Los Angeles) Clippers game, Wemby (Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs center) wasn’t playing, that was tough (laughs), but we got to watch the game together, it wasn’t just about football, we got to hang out. I know he wants to do that again with a broader group of everybody this summer, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity to do that again.”
NFL quarterbacks often organize workouts with their receivers, offensive line, and skill players, and even though the Commanders’ roster wasn’t fully set at the time, Daniels understands the importance of that. The fact that he wants to do it again this summer with a broader group signals his commitment to this team and his role as its offensive leader.
The Commanders have a different roster in 2026 than they did in 2025, and that looks to be a good thing so far. This is a big year for the Commanders and Dan Quinn. It’s a season that could make or break both Daniels’s and Quinn’s careers, depending on how it goes. It seems they both understand the pressure, and Daniels is doing his part to ensure the bond they form is strong enough to withstand it.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels ‘led the charge’ in workouts