ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels said a difficult second season left him feeling he had something to prove this season. But that's also not much different than how he felt at the same time last season, coming off a successful rookie year.
"If you don't feel you have something to prove then you shouldn't be in this profession," Daniels said.
Neither Daniels nor the Commanders had the sort of season anticipated in 2025, going 5-12 -- the reverse of the 2024 season when they advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
Daniels played in only seven games because of multiple injuries -- to his knee, hamstring and, lastly, his left elbow.
Because of that, Daniels threw for only 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. It wasn't the follow-up he wanted after being named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year for his 2024 season.
"It left a bitter taste in my mouth," Daniels said of last season. "I mean, it sucked. ... [It was] a miserable feeling to not go out and do what I do on a daily basis and having setbacks."
But Washington hopes the change in offensive systems will help redirect Daniels' career trajectory. The Commanders mutually parted ways with former coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and hired David Blough, an assistant quarterbacks coach the past two years.
That will lead to Daniels being under center more, according to Blough and coach Dan Quinn. In his first two seasons, Daniels took 32 snaps from under center while attempting 18 passes (completing 13). But, during Wednesday's OTA session, Daniels took a heavier load of snaps from under center than he had in the past.
On one play, he executed a play-action pass from under center -- faking a handoff and rolling out before connecting with receiver Terry McLaurin on the left side for a long completion during 11-on-11 work. Daniels looked comfortable operating out of this look.
Another time he executed a bootleg to his left and completed an out pass.
"He makes things that are difficult look easy," Quinn said.
"I love the offense, I love what Blough is doing," Daniels said, "love how he's creating and designing different things.
"It's awesome to see his creative mind; we're building this thing together."
Daniels also played from under center on occasion during his three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to LSU where he operated almost exclusively out of shotgun or pistol formation.
So while he's worked on taking snaps from under center this offseason -- his personal quarterbacks coach, Taylor Kelly, was at Wednesday's workout -- it's also not the first time he's done so.
"I always did that," Daniels said. "You have to be versatile in whatever you can do. I had to be well-rounded so ever since I've been in the NFL it's been [worked on]. It's not anything super new to me."
Teammates say Daniels looks in control of this new system. During practice Wednesday Blough would use a walkie-talkie while on the sideline to call in the play.
"He's been studying it the whole offseason, you can tell," said guard Sam Cosmi. "They've done a good job building his confidence to help our confidence learning this offseason. He has full range of everything. They're giving him more on his plate when it comes to the mental aspect, but he's doing a phenomenal job."
Quinn said as the spring practices continue he wants to see Daniels and the offense operate with more urgency when it comes to getting in and out of the huddle; the shifts and the motions and calling checks at the line of scrimmage. Quinn called him "one of the fastest learners."
"His mental quickness is always something that just jumps out to me of learning a new system so quickly and fast," Quinn said. "I saw that a few years ago and I'm seeing those same instincts now."