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The Washington Commanders have high hopes for Jayden Daniels this season. However, the team should cap its hopes a little, according to a former Super Bowl champion. But with the season getting closer, here is one Commanders player with the most to prove at OTAs.
Last year, the Commanders didn’t have much to offer at the wide receiver position. They had Terry McLaurin, and that pretty much was it. It was a wonderful opportunity for Luke McCaffrey, but he turned out to be invisible for the most part.
McCaffrey totaled 18 catches on just 24 targets, drawing only four starts and failing to get in the end zone. Now that the Commanders have upgraded at wide receiver, McCaffrey must prove to head coach Dan Quinn and the organization that he’s still worthy of being part of the plan.
Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey needs to show something
For all of the good things that were written and said about McCaffrey, it never showed up on the field. Keep in mind, too, that McCaffrey had a dynamic quarterback on the field with him. Jayden Daniels turned average receivers into playmakers with his performances. But not McCaffrey.
Now, the wide receiver room looks different. With McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, and Noah Brown, McCaffrey doesn’t figure in the starting mix. Making things more difficult for McCaffrey is the presence of rooke Jaylin Lane. It’s possible, if not likely, that Lane could vault right past McCaffrey in the pecking order.
McLaurin recently talked about what it’s like to have a guy like Daniels under center, according to WUSA9 via Sports Illustrated.
“The way I saw Jayden grow leaps and bounds last year, honestly, we all knew the type of competitor he was when he first got here,” McLaurin said. “He's an extremely smart player, and he's very charismatic.
“But you've got to see his competitive edge out there on Sundays and the way he just, again, was able to get better week in and week out and put his best foot forward. There were a lot of Sundays where he was our best player out there, you know what I mean?
“And the way he's able to extend plays with his legs, his arm, and he can make all the throws. And again, I think it's just his competitive nature, where you feel like you got a chance to make big plays with the ball in his hands. So I'm just looking forward to growing with him.”
That’s why McCaffrey is already out of excuses despite being in just his second NFL season. Sometimes players can take a leap from year one to year two, but most of the buzz from the Commanders revolves around the new receivers. McCaffrey’s name hasn’t come up much. That’s a bad sign.
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Even Daniels talked about the new players for the Commanders in 2025, according to commanderswire.com.
“Those are good additions that we brought in,” Daniels said. “Obviously, Adam, what his side of the building is doing, you have to trust him with everything that is going on. Obviously, I am excited. Those are two great individuals, and we got even more that they brought in. I’m excited to work with them, still progress, and get ready for camp.”
Still, there are people in McCaffrey’s corner. Included in that mix is NBC’s J.P. Finlay, according to 106.7 The Fan, via commandersnation.com.
“One dude I think people are collectively sleeping on is Luke McCaffrey,” Finlay said. “I think last year, expectations might’ve been too high for a third-round wideout. You can leave the advanced analytics on this. But the advanced analytics suggest that Luke was really good at getting separation. So then it becomes a matter of getting on the same page with Jayden (Daniels). Luke’s also still learning the wide receiver position, but I think he could have a much larger role.”
Still, the receiver room is good. McLaurin ranks No. 10 in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
“McLaurin is the toughest player to rank on this list, but regardless of where he lands, he’s simply a high-level receiver,” PFF wrote. “He leads the league with 89 contested catches since 2020, and his cumulative WAR of 1.31 over the past three seasons ranks seventh among wide receivers.”
Samuel also made the list, coming in at No. 30.
“Samuel hasn’t quite matched his 2021 form in recent seasons,” PFF wrote. “That year, he earned a 90.2 overall grade as both a receiver and rusher, but his 72.1 receiving grade in 2024 marked a career low. Injuries have played a role, but with a fresh start in Washington, the bet here is on his talent ceiling.”
