Commanders star says this 1 thing stands out about Jayden Daniels

LOS ANGELES -- We were never really all that concerned that receiver Deebo Samuel wouldn’t suit up for the Washington Commanders while dealing with a heel injury suffered in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons, but still, it was good to get confirmation he’d been cleared to play this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Speaking with reporters on Friday, the Commanders’ star confirmed that he was never really worried about his status and talked about his quarterback, Jayden Daniels, who will be making his return to the field after a two-game absence.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5). | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Energy of a Leader

Asked what made Daniels different from other quarterbacks, the Washington receiver said, “The energy. I did an interview a couple days ago and it was asking me what stands out the most to me about Jayden. He really enjoys the game, he has fun playing, and you can tell every time he's out there, he got a smile on his face. He is just enjoying the game for sure.”

It would make sense that Samuel is drawn to that part of Daniels’s approach to the game. After all, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn did once use the word ‘joy’ to describe Samuel, something not many outside of the teams he’s played for know is part of his character traits.

“I try my best to have fun. I enjoy the game for sure,” says Samuel.

Preparation Breeds Fun

To have fun on the field, however, requires a level of work and preparation that most don’t get to see during the season. We already know Quinn has been praising Daniels for his work ethic since the two first joined forces in Washington. The same effort has made an impact on Samuel as well, especially over the past two weeks.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (11). | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Consistency is Key

Daniels isn’t the only first-year teammate Samuel is impressed with through one quarter of the season. Second-year receiver Luke McCaffrey, who enters the weekend on a two-game scoring streak, has also stood out for all the right reasons.

Speaking again about preparation as the key to game day success, Samuel said McCaffrey is “as consistent as you can get, and it's starting to show.”

While they’ve failed to put together even a two-game winning streak through four games, the Commanders have also avoided a losing streak. With the Chargers also coming into this weekend off a loss, it appears one of the two teams will have their first losing streak of the season, and Washington is hard at work preparing to make sure it isn’t them.

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