The Washington Commanders finally saved Jayden Daniels from himself. Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed he'd shut down the dynamic quarterback for the final three games of 2025, a difficult but necessary move to safeguard the franchise's long-term aspirations.
Daniels reaggravated an elbow injury during his first game back. He hasn't been cleared for contact yet, and with the Commanders having two games in quick succession over the festive period, Quinn opted to wave the white flag.
The coach acknowledged that Daniels didn't like it, but it is the correct call. Washington may have won in Week 15 against the New York Giants, but they are still playing for nothing other than pride. Risking further damage to the franchise player would have much graver implications, so finally bringing some clarity to this saga once and for all was the only realistic path.
This should be a wake-up call for Quinn. He needs to experiment over the final three contests. The Commanders should firmly be in evaluation mode. It's that simple.
If that means upsetting some veteran players, potentially on the way out, so be it. Still, Washington must learn more about its inexperienced players as part of the team's ongoing roster assessments ahead of a critical offseason for the organization. Nothing else will suffice.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players who must also see reduced reps after the team's decision with Daniels.
Commanders players who have to lose reps after the inevitable Jayden Daniels bombshell
Noah Brown - Commanders WR
The Washington Commanders finally got Noah Brown back into the fold in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately for the wide receiver, he is once again dealing with another injury concern.
Brown left the game against the New York Giants relatively early with a hip problem. He was initially listed as questionable to return, but was ruled out shortly after, upon further tests in the locker room. It's been one setback after another for the Ohio State product, but the NFL is a cutthroat business.
Washington cannot depend on Brown to stay healthy anymore. That's the long and short of it, so even if he does get the all clear before 2025 concludes, there is no point dragging this out with more staring reps when all signs point to an offseason departure.
The likes of Treylon Burks and Jaylin Lane need to see the field more. Both have better long-term upside than Brown, and they'll be eager to impress in pursuit of bigger roles when the 2026 campaign arrives.
That might sound harsh on Brown during his luckless run on the health front. However, it seems inevitable.