Jayden Daniels' challenges during his rookie season were drastically different from what he will experience in 2025: work hard, prove to his teammates that he belongs in the NFL and learn a new offense.

This year, his main task is to be better than his Offensive Rookie of the Year performance in 2024. It doesn't surprise any of his coaches or teammates that he has been working on that all summer.

"I would just say I always focus on footwork and just my control within the pocket," Daniels said after the first practice of the Washington Commanders' training camp.

For all that Daniels did well in 2024, from throwing under pressure to using his legs for extra yards, one area where he could improve upon is his ability to work within the pocket. Daniels led the league in scrambles (87) when he had 2.5 or more seconds to throw, according to Pro Football Focus, and that normally worked out for him with 13 big-time throws compared to nine turnover-worthy plays.

Daniels' legs were a key part of the Commanders' offense, as his 891 rushing yards broke a rookie record and led the team. And while he will always be a threat in the run game, the Commanders, and Daniels himself, would prefer that he relied more on his arm. So, Daniels spent the summer fine tuning his pocket presence.

"Maneuvering, keeping my eyes downfield, putting myself in different situations where I might have to try to emulate breaking a tackle, breaking a sack," Daniels said. "Keeping my eyes downfield while still getting my feet under me and making throws."

As with many other quarterbacks, there was a stark difference in Daniels' performance when under pressure compared to being kept clean. When he wasn't pressured, he had the eighth best passing grade from PFF with a 74.7 completion percentage and 20 touchdowns to five interceptions. Conversely, when he was pressured, he had a 59 passing grade with a 49% completion rate and eight turnover-worthy plays.

The Commanders did what they could to help Daniels by providing him with a bolstered offensive line, including left tackle Laremy Tunsil. However, Daniels is also putting in the work to help himself. If he can improve in that area, it would not only increase his longevity but also make the offense more explosive.

Here are some other takeaways from Day One of camp:

-- We'll start with the offensive line. Although this is subject to change for the rest of camp, the starting group looked like this from left to right: Laremy Tunsil, Brandon Coleman, Tyler Biadasz, Nick Allegretti and Andrew Wylie. That was the expected setup heading into camp, but players like Nate Herbig could push for the right guard spot while Cosmi recovers. Josh Conerly worked in with the second unit, which was also expected.

-- Speaking of Cosmi, head coach Dan Quinn said there was a possibility for the guard to be back in action for Week 1, which would be a quick turnaround for a player who tore his ACL in January. Cosmi had an excellent offseason, Quinn said Tuesday, and he has hit all his markers. Cosmi is currently on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, which means he can return to action at any time. Had he been placed on the Reserve/PUP list, he would have been required to miss the first four games.

-- Daniels started training camp with a bang. He aired out a shot to new wide receiver Deebo Samuel with tight coverage from Tyler Owens, and Samuel made the catch with ease over his shoulder for the touchdown. Daniels and Samuel have been working on their chemistry all summer, and clearly that work has paid off.

-- Here's something of note to keep an eye on: Owens got work with the starting defense and was lined up at nickel. Owens was primarily a special teams player last season, but the staff loves him and is high on his future.

-- A star always emerges in training camp, and Ja'Corey Brooks is a contender for that moniker. Brooks made two touchdown catches during 7-on-7 drills -- one from Daniels and Mariota each. Brooks, a Louisville product from Florida, also had a solid OTA performance. There's a long way to go before the final roster cuts are made, but Brooks certainly got off to a good start in that race.

-- The Commanders are suddenly deep when it comes to their front seven, thanks in part to Von Miller joining the team, and that means they can get creative with their personnel. One grouping during red zone situational drills featured Frankie Luvu and Miller as pass-rushers with Dorance Armstrong and Daron Payne as interior players. Who knows how much they will use that combination of players, but it could be a fun front for fans and potent for opponents.

-- Finally, let's wrap things up with a few standalone plays that stood out throughout the morning. Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a touchdown run during team drills and had a nice juke on Ben Nikkel in the open field. Noah Igbinoghene forced an incompletion with tight coverage on Jaylin Lane, who otherwise had a solid day. Jeremy Reaves broke up a pass intended for Ben Sinnott. And Javon Kinlaw had a nasty bull rush against Coleman.