The Washington Commanders wasted no time in placing veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore and wide receiver Luke McCaffrey on injured reserve. However, they did not do the same with superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels.
That gave fans some hope that the signal-caller would be able to return from a dislocated shoulder at some stage during the 2025 campaign. Just what the point would be if the Commanders keep losing is anyone's guess, but it represented a glimmer of promise nonetheless.
However, head coach Dan Quinn declared that nothing has been determined for sure.
Commanders are finalizing their plan for Jayden Daniels' injury recovery
The medical team is still acquiring information. Quinn stated that a final meeting would take place on Wednesday, during which they would outline the problem and the expected recovery time before deciding on an official plan of action.
"We are going through a final medical meeting today regarding second opinions to put the plan together. We should have an update for you here in the next day or so. Being thorough through the whole process… gather all the info and then make the decisions from there."Dan Quinn via Pro Football Talk
Anyone getting their hopes up about Daniels making his triumphant return quickly should pump the brakes. Nothing has been determined one way or another, and the Commanders will treat their franchise player with extreme caution.
They are not giving up on the season, as evidenced by general manager Adam Peters' decision to stand pat at the 2025 trade deadline. But if they cannot win any of their last two games before the bye week, which also includes an international contest versus the lowly Miami Dolphins, the white flag must be waved.
That means taking Daniels' recovery slowly. If that means he missed the second half of 2025, so be it, but the Commanders have almost no chance of making the playoffs. Not what anyone expected before the campaign, but it's a fact.
Daniels has sustained a sprained knee, a low-grade hamstring strain, and a dislocated elbow in just six games this season. That is not sustainable, and the Commanders need to take a long, hard look at how the former LSU standout conducts himself under center moving forward.
They cannot afford this to become another quarterback who starts well before injuries send them into a tailspin. It would be a massive surprise if Daniels were risked at any stage the rest of this season. And after that, there needs to be a better balance regarding his approach.
As for Quinn? It remains a regrettable situation, considering Daniels shouldn't have been anywhere near the field at this stage of a blowout, in the first place.