Jayden Daniels is one of the most exciting rookies in recent memory. He has a unique blend of passing and rushing ability that we’ve seen take over the NFL recently… Pocket passers like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are a thing of the past. Now, it’s all about dual-threat quarterbacks like Daniels, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts.
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Look, the proof is in the pudding. The last three MVPs have been classified as dual-threat quarterbacks.
That’s why many analysts and pundits are calling their shot on Daniels to win the coveted award this season. One of those analysts is Louis Riddick, who truly believes that the Commanders star could make history.
“That could very well happen. There’s a good shot that it may happen. This guy is unique,” Riddick said when asked if Daniels can win the MVP.
“We talk about unicorns all the time. This guy is a unicorn in terms of his football character, how mature he is. I watched him the other day in his media session. I’m sitting there going, ‘Has this guy played in the league for 4, 5 years?’ He’s one of the best leaders this football team has had in 2 decades.”
It’s high praise coming from the former defensive back. But it’s also hard to deny how unique a player Daniels is. If he can parlay his excellent rookie season into an even better sophomore campaign, he could put himself into a very prestigious group.
Only 7 players have won an NFL MVP in just their second season in the league. Of those seven, four have been quarterbacks. The list includes Lamar, Mahomes, Kurt Warner, and Dan Marino, half of whom are in the Hall of Fame, while the other two are certainly on their way there.
.@LRiddickESPN says Jayden Daniels winning MVP this season “could very well happen” pic.twitter.com/bC9RLDw7S5
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 30, 2025
Although, Riddick thinks a lot of Daniels’ MVP chances hinge on whether Terry McLaurin will be on the field or not. He thus urged the Commanders to extend him as soon as possible.
“Don’t mess it up with Terry McLaurin. Get his guy in there to a contract. Not just in the building, get this guy signed to a contract.”
Reportedly, Washington and McLaurin are at odds over an extension. He wants more than DK Metcalf’s $33 million a year, but the team isn’t willing to go higher than $30 million. They view him closer to the valuation of Courtland Sutton in that sense, who just signed with the Denver Broncos for 4 years, $92 million.
League sources tell @TonyPauline that #Commanders WR Terry McLaurin will be offered a two or three-year extension that will have an slightly higher annual payout than Courtland Sutton.
The belief is that Washington is not willing to go higher than the $30M McLaurin wants. pic.twitter.com/KGSiT5T4dH
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) July 30, 2025
It would be nice if the Commanders just paid up and secured Scary Terry. But it’s not that simple. They’ve made a lot of key additions to the roster this offseason. They are now operating with the 7th most expensive payroll in the NFL. Furthermore, they only have around $22 million more in cap space.
However, with Daniels on an affordable rookie contract, it’s time to strike while the iron is still hot. The Commanders should remain aggressive and offer McLaurin whatever he wants.
Without the former Ohio State Buckeye, their receiving corps gets thin quickly. If things don’t work out, they can worry about a trade or a cut later. But right now, Washington should hold on to their top receiving asset as tightly as possible.
