When the Washington Commanders decided that quarterback Jayden Daniels would make the trip to London, all the hype was always going to center on whether he would suit up in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Now, fans have their answer.
Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed after Friday's practice that Daniels would not play. This was somewhat surprising, but the Commanders want him to get a full week of practice before committing.
Commanders' international game has come too soon for Jayden Daniels
There was no right answer here.
Daniels was pushing hard to play. The Commanders weren't going to risk him before he was ready. Throwing a few balls in practice under no pressure is a lot different from taking live fire in a regular-season setting. After weighing everything, Washington has decided to keep him out of the lineup.
Not everyone will like it, especially Daniels, but the Commanders believe it's best for the team.
That's the most important thing in this complex equation.
Daniels was certainly bullish throughout the week. The body language was different. He looked confident because he knows what to expect with his dislocated elbow this time around. And he wouldn't have traveled across the pond without intending to feature.
As it turned out, he was close, but it wasn't enough.
The Commanders were content either way. They have complete faith in veteran backup Marcus Mariota, who turned on the style during Washington's incredible upset over the Cleveland Browns. Going with him again was no problem for anyone in the franchise, but Daniels was going to fight with everything he had to prove his fitness.
Jayden Daniels must get a full week of good practice in before featuring again
And even though getting back to practice is a big deal, the full body of work just wasn't there.
It wasn't an easy situation. Daniels didn't want to miss much time, given he featured seven times and completed just four games last season. Another dislocated elbow so early in the campaign was a disaster, but avoiding surgery and not having to go on injured reserve gave everyone hope when they desperately needed it.
Now, he gets the chance to watch from the sidelines and cheer on Mariota while readying himself to potentially feature against the New York Giants in Week 5.
The Commanders finally have some confidence to build on. Beating the Seahawks was unexpected, and the change of scenery in London was a nice change of pace. Daniels' availability may have been a distraction, but Quinn and the medical staff were never going to deviate from their chosen path.
The most important thing in this process is comfort. There will always be risks, but if everyone is comfortable enough for Daniels to feature, that's enough to move things forward.
It's not there yet. But it might not be too far away.
Washington is a better team with Daniels under center. Mariota is dependable, but he's not the franchise player. That privilege belongs to the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he takes that responsibility seriously.
But he'll have to do that as a leader on the sidelines this weekend.
Add us as a preferred source on Google