University of Kwazulu-Natal

What Commanders Jayden Daniels Is Eliminating That Will Make Him

Bonisiwe Shabane
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what commanders jayden daniels is eliminating that will make him

As if the Washington Commanders didn't have enough issues already in the midst of a very disappointing season, the team is now operating without the services of quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels has been sidelined since he suffered an ugly elbow injury in the Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The second-year quarterback was diagnosed with a dislocated elbow, which many initially believed might end his season. However, a recent update on Daniels says otherwise, opening the door for him to play again in 2025. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, tests revealed Daniels' injury isn't as bad as first believed, as the young quarterback avoided ligament damage and he doesn't need surgery. Rapoport adds that, right now, the team is not putting Daniels on injured reserve.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels' gruesome injury was not bad enough to guarantee his season is over. According to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, Daniels' dislocated left elbow was not even severe enough to land him on injured reserve. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Nov. 7 that Daniels managed to avoid any ligament damage in his elbow and will therefore avoid surgery. Glazer said on Nov. 9 that Washington plans to re-evaluate its starting quarterback in three weeks, setting up a potential return to action shortly after the team's Week 12 bye.

In the meantime, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota will continue to start behind center for the Commanders. In four starts this season, Mariota is 1-3. Daniels remains out for the Commanders' Week 11 game against the Miami Dolphins. The two teams will face off in Madrid, and two Hawaiian quarterbacks will start against each other for the second time this season – Tua Tagovailoa for the Dolphins and Mariota for the Commanders. Jayden Daniels can return this season, but the Commanders’ year may be over by the time he’s ready. Washington’s quarterback avoided ligament damage and will not need surgery after suffering a dislocated left elbow Sunday against Seattle, per ESPN, but he will not return until Week 13 at the earliest.

The plan is for him to reportedly be reevaluated during the team’s Week 12 bye, when the Commanders return from their week off to host the Broncos on Nov. 30 However, with Washington sitting at 3-6 and a game on tap against the Lions this week, Washington may have to decide whether it’s prudent to have him return in a lost season. “We haven’t discussed any of that,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said Monday, according to ESPN. C.J. Stroud, Ja’Marr Chase, Dak Prescott and Robert Griffin III all won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors before Daniels claimed the award this past season.

All four — and many of their less-decorated draft classmates — took a step back in various production and efficiency metrics during their second pro season. The sophomore slump in the NFL threatens perennially. It doesn’t discriminate. Defensive coordinators have a season’s worth of tape and an offseason of analysis to study rookies and strategize with a depth that game-planning against first-year players doesn’t allow. So as Daniels prepares for his second season at the Washington Commanders' helm, he’s not shying away from that risk. He’s embracing it.

And aiming to thwart it. There was no sign of quarterback Jayden Daniels when the Washington Commanders boarded their flight to Spain for an international contest against the Miami Dolphins. And one recent update regarding his injury status moving forward should make head coach Dan Quinn's decision pretty simple in the long term. Daniels was spotted in an immobilizing sling in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions after dislocating his elbow late in a defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. He is out indefinitely, but did not go to injured reserve after an MRI revealed that there was no ligament damage. It was the latest in a series of constant injury worries for the Commanders this season.

However, things could have been a lot worse. Not having Daniels would make any team worse. He's the dynamic signal-caller who spearheaded the Commanders to levels not seen for decades in his first season. He's looked human this time around, and the brutal punishment that his playing style demands has taken a heavy toll on the team's chances. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, citing sources with close knowledge of the situation, Daniels' recovery time could be 3-to-6 weeks. That's a promising prognosis, especially considering the Commanders have a bye week in the middle of that.

Even so, it's done nothing to diminish the debate around whether Washington should put its most prized possession in harm's way down the stretch. Jayden Daniels might be able to recover from injury in time to play again for the Commanders this season. That does not mean Washington should allow their franchise quarterback back on the field during the 2025 campaign. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has the report that Daniels will not need surgery to repair his injured elbow. That revelation opens up the door for the young signal-caller to return at some point before the end of the regular season. Clearly, Washington's chances of winning games go up when their No.

1 quarterback is able to line up under center. None of that changes the reality that Washington currently owns an ugly record of 3-6. That puts them 3.5 games behind the Eagles in the division and comfortably outside of a Wild Card place in the NFC. To put it bluntly, the Commanders' chances of earning a postseason berth this year are minimal. This is especially true if they're forced to play a few more key games with Marcus Mariota taking snaps. That's why the higher-ups in Washington need to step in and do what's best for their franchise quarterback's long-term health.

It's time for the front office to put Daniels on the shelf for the rest of the year. It's far more important to make sure Daniels gets fully healthy this offseason than to rush him back into action for a meaningless game or two at the end of this season. Keeping Daniels on the shelf until 2026 would also give the Commanders a chance to build a better offensive ecosystem around him. Trading for Laremy Tunsil gave his offensive line a big boost, but rookie Josh Conerly needs more reps before he's a quality option at the other tackle spot. It might also be advisable for Washington to look for better options at guard through free agency or next year's draft. The Washington Commanders are down after losing four straight games and quarterback Jayden Daniels to a dislocated elbow, but the team is still fighting as hard as it can.

While the outlook is bleak for the Commanders, quarterback Marcus Mariota is leading the charge for the team to bounce back in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. “Absolutely. And it starts up top with DQ [Head Coach Dan Quinn]. He sets the mood every day, guys follow that and I do believe that," Mariota said. "And again, it's not going to all happen at once. We understand that being out here, taking it one day at a time, getting things corrected, getting things organized, making sure everyone's on the same page so that when we do get to Sunday,...

READ MORE: Why Dan Campbell is backing Commanders' Dan Quinn's call on Jayden Daniels

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