The Commanders need more than Jayden Daniels: Players whose upside could determine Washington's ceiling
Daniels remains the franchise's most important player, but Washington's return to contention may depend on whether these teammates maximize their potential.
ASHBURN, Va. — As Jayden Daniels’ health and performance go, so go the Washington Commanders.
That’s the easy part.
Washington’s path back into the NFC contender conversation requires more than its franchise quarterback returning to form after an injury-shortened season. The Commanders need several players to produce meaningful jumps, whether that’s a rookie handling a major role, a veteran rediscovering his peak form or an emerging contributor turning promise into production.
Second-year right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. already made this list. The lack of an obvious WR2 candidate behind Terry McLaurin remains another well-covered concern.
These are the other players whose ceilings may go a long way toward determining Washington’s fate in 2026.
8. Sonny Styles
Edge defender Odafe Oweh recently joined the chorus of those describing Washington’s first-round pick as a “baby Bobby Wagner.”
That’s based on Styles’ stature, command of the huddle and football intelligence. It’s an enormous compliment, even if comparisons to an 11-time All-Pro’s football IQ are premature.
The physical traits, however, are already NFL-ready.
At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds with 4.46 speed, Styles looks the part the moment he steps on the field. If those tools translate into a disruptive, downhill linebacker capable of handling traffic and creating impact plays, Washington may have landed a foundational defender.
Defensive coordinator Daronte Jones has intriguing options with Frankie Luvu, Leo Chenal and Styles. How those snaps get distributed is among the biggest questions of training camp.
If Styles ultimately replaces Wagner as the defensive signal-caller in the middle of the defense, he’ll rarely leave the field.
There’s no indication Washington is interested in bringing him along slowly.
7. Kicker
Whether incumbent Jake Moody or UDFA Drew Stevens wins the job, the assignment is simple:
Make field goals.
Washington ranked 30th in field-goal percentage (80.2 percent) over the last four seasons, according to TruMedia. The struggles grew even more glaring from distance. The Commanders tied Baltimore for the NFL’s worst conversion rate on attempts of 50-plus yards at 50 percent.
That’s why Stevens’ powerful right leg is worth monitoring.
Making routine kicks remains priority No. 1. Adding a legitimate long-range threat would be a bonus that may alter game-management decisions.
