Commanders Rookies Jayden Daniels, Luke McCaffrey Building Relationship Early

The quarterback/wide receiver duo is going to connect plenty for the Washington Commanders next season.

Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (WO15) talks to the media / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders got a facelift this offseason. The roster will look quite different next season as the team made big moves in both free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.

One of the biggest franchise-changing decisions was to select LSU and Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. From there, the team's focus now shifts to maximizing having a talent like Daniels under center. He needs protection on the offensive line. He needs weapons to target. A solid running back to help in the ground game.

READ MORE: Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury Already Making His Mark in Return to NFL

Washington might already have a solid new connection in town, though. The Commanders selected wide receiver Luke McCaffrey with the No. 100 overall pick in the draft. The two have already been able to begin working together during rookie minicamps.

“He’s one heck of a quarterback and he’s a lot of fun to play with from a personality standpoint, so I’ve had a blast,” McCaffrey said of Daniels. “People who love football are going to get along, and he’s someone who loves football and I consider myself someone who loves football.”

The Commanders have a solid wide receiving corps with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson alongside McCaffrey, who will be able to do damage out of the slot. McCaffrey has been able to start building a connection with Daniels on the field and off as the two will be able to translate their connection to the field when the season rolls around.

The Washington duo is also heading to Los Angeles together soon, as they were both invited to the NFL Rookie Premier, receiving the invites from the NFLPA. McCaffrey, a former quarterback before transitioning to a wide receiver in college, says it's been easy to build a connection with Daniels.

“It helps a lot. It’s a position that’s hard to understand unless you’ve played it,” McCaffrey said. “The biggest thing I’ve noticed is the communication aspect. You speak the same language, you understand, and that’s something going into rookie minicamp you try and get a head start on.”

McCaffrey is another Commanders rookie who is staring at a huge opportunity to get plenty of playing time in his rookie season, which poses a big opportunity to impress early.

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READ MORE: Two Commanders' Players Selected to Attend NFL Rookie Premiere

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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