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By Kevin McCormick
Contributing Sports Writer
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Following a shocking run that landed them in the NFC Championship game last season, the Washington Commanders will have a lot of eyes on them in 2025. Ahead of training camp, one veteran uttered a strong vote of confidence for a key member of the franchise.
The Commanders' success would not have been possible if not for the stellar play of quarterback Jayden Daniels. Fresh off being drafted No. 2 overall, he took the league by storm and cemented himself as one of the game's top young talents. Daniels proved he is capable of being a pillar for Washington moving forward, helping the team pull off multiple upsets in his first taste of the postseason.
Heading into year two, Daniels will now attempt to avoid a 'sophomore slump' for the Commanders. Coming off such a strong rookie campaign, the bar is set high for him and Washington in 2025. Outside noise aside, one of his teammates expects Daniels to maintain on his path towards stardom.
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Also read: Commanders Owner Pays Steep Investment in Jayden Daniels
During a recent interview, veteran running back Austin Ekeler opened up on Daniels' growth in minicamp and how he expects that to continue throughout the 2025 season:
"I think there's even going to be more growth this year, which is awesome because of where we are at with our team and have a lot of players back," Ekeler said, according to NFL.com. "What I see for him going into this year, we have the same offensive coordinator and so bringing that into the mix has now made it, so, now when we go through OTAs, Jayden is already on it. He's beyond kind of the rookie mistakes and learning the playbook, getting a play called out slow. He's getting people lined up. We got new guys coming in and he's like, 'Deebo you are not over here, you're on that side.' When you start to see him kind of orchestrating out there, you could tell that there's that growth."
Also read: Steelers Named Potential Suitor For Disgruntled Commanders Star
Following a seven-year run with the LA Chargers, Ekeler joined the Commanders ahead of the 2024 season. His production in Washington took a slight dip, largely due to the fact that he only appeared in 12 games. Ekeler finished the season with just 367 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
As a RB capable of being a threat in the running and passing game, Ekeler will attempt to be a dynamic piece who helps elevate Daniels in year two.
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