While it’s not quite clear what the Washington Commanders have planned for second year quarterback Jayden Daniels, it’s pretty clear what they should do if they stop and let rational thought take over.
The smart thing to do, in a season that’s gone totally haywire, would be to shut Daniels down for the rest of the year. That’s after 3 separate injuries forced him to miss games this season, with the latest being the worst after a gruesome dislocated left elbow in a Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
With the Commanders sitting at 3-8 headed into a Week 13 home game against the NFL’s best defense and its hottest team, the Denver Broncos, Daniels is back at practice this week.
The Broncos are 9-2 and have won 8 consecutive games. They are also on pace to break the NFL’s single season sacks record set by the 1984 Chicago Bears.
The Commanders have lost 6 consecutive games.
“Commanders QB Jayden Daniels was evaluated coming out of Washington’s bye and sources say this Sunday’s game against the Broncos is a long-shot,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Monday, November 24. “But Daniels will return to practice this week. Progress from his dislocated elbow.”
It’s not a stretch to say putting Daniels back in the lineup against the Broncos would put their franchise player at risk of permanent harm … but it’s the Commanders, so you never know.
Devil’s Advocate: Wait Until Officially Eliminated
While we’re still likely 2 losses from the Commanders being officially eliminated, there is some advantage to not officially saying Daniels won’t be back this season.
Mainly that comes in terms of morale. The Commanders are probably telling themselves internally the 2025 season was a wash due to injuries to Daniels and star wide receiver Terry McLaurin and they should be able to make another run in 2026.
Remember, this is essentially still the same nucleus that made it to the NFC Championship Game in 2024.
Should the Commanders pull off the upset of the Broncos and somehow go on a run — they would almost certainly have to win out to make the playoffs — it would be worth keeping the hope of Daniels coming back in the air.
With that pipe dream in mind, backup Marcus Mariota will almost certainly make his sixth start this season against Denver — he’s 1-4 in 5 previous starts.
Nightmare Sophomore Season for Commanders
Whatever happens the rest of the way, this will be a season we either point to was a sign of things to come for Daniels or something that gave him the motivation to the rest of a standout career — it’s been that bad for the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Daniels sprained his knee in a Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers and missed 2 games before returning for a win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 5 — the last game the Commanders won.
He pulled his hamstring late in a Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and missed one game. He returned to face the Seahawks in Week 9, when he injured himself late in a blowout loss.
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