The Washington Commanders aim to bounce back following last season’s disappointing 5-12 record. Injuries to their starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, were a significant factor. Daniels is entering his third year after being selected as the team’s second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, following Caleb Williams. While he played every game as a rookie and nearly propelled the team to the Super Bowl, his involvement last season was limited to seven games, recording just 2-5. Fortunately, Daniels is healthy and ready for the new season.
This offseason, the Commanders have implemented a critical change in Daniels’ execution of the offense. Reports indicate that Daniels is practicing more frequent huddling, a strategy he hasn’t used play-to-play previously in the NFL. Data from The Athletic highlights that the Commanders were the least under center in the league, with Daniels present for only 32% of snaps, compared to the NFL median of 82%.
Head Coach Dan Quinn expressed satisfaction over Daniels’ progress, evidenced by footage from a GoPro camera during practices. It demonstrated Daniels’ composure in the huddle, a skill essential for handling the chaos on-field. Quinn stated, “He was always so calm and cool, and he’s still that way in the huddle. … That’s a big deal. There’s a calmness when the quarterback, in the chaos, is like, ‘We’re good, man.’”
This strategic offensive adjustment provides numerous advantages for Daniels and the Commanders. It could minimize the instances of Daniels getting hit, crucial after previous injuries including a dislocated elbow, left knee sprain, and right hamstring strain. Furthermore, huddling can reduce the team’s frequent and problematic use of timeouts, enhancing late-game management.
This change aligns with the appointment of David Blough as the new offensive coordinator. Blough, formerly the assistant quarterbacks coach, has taken over from Kliff Kingsbury, the OC in 2025. Blough will reportedly communicate more effectively with Daniels via the huddle.
Regarding huddling execution, Daniels has yet to decide on his stance—whether standing, hunched, or kneeling. With under two weeks remaining until their first regular-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 13, these decisions will be crucial. Observing whether the increased huddling improves performance over last season will be intriguing.
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