Dan Quinn makes intentions abundantly clear over Jayden Daniels' status

Jayden Daniels' rib injury was about the only bad thing to emerge from the Washington Commanders' dominant win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. Rookie third-round offensive tackle Brandon Coleman also went out with a concussion, but the signal-caller's complication could have a much more detrimental impact on the team's chances in 2024.

Daniels is a superstar. Everyone in the building knows it. Everyone around the league knows it. Taking him off any team is going to damage their hopes. This bears more significance for the Commanders, who are in Year 1 of a comprehensive rebuild and need their new face of the franchise fit and firing to meet raised expectations.

Fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when Dan Quinn announced that Daniels was week-to-week with his rib issue. He wants to play in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears and hasn't been ruled out entirely. However, the head coach made his intentions abundantly clear about the No. 2 overall selection's status.

Commanders will be ultra-cautious with Jayden Daniels' rib issue

Quinn stated in no uncertain terms that every stone will be turned and every base covered before Daniels gets the all-clear to participate. If there is the slightest doubt whatsoever, the Commanders will take him out of the firing line and move forward with Marcus Mariota.

"We'll see where he is going through the steps at practice this week, and we'll make a decision as we go. We're not going to miss one step of this. It's really important to get it right, and we will. I want to make sure he can be him fully in his own way. The movements, the throwing and all the stuff that would go with that … I know that he'll do everything he can, but I'll trust my eyes and I certainly know him well. So, like I said, we'll take it every step of the way."

- Dan Quinn via Commanders.com

This is the sensible approach when one considers how pivotal Daniels is to Washington's future. Every decision is being made with the long-term in mind under the new regime. They also won't care that CBS flexed this contest to their prime late afternoon slot to see the top two selections in the 2024 NFL Draft do battle for the first time.

Daniels might need saving from himself, in all honesty. The Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU is highly competitive. He wants to be out on the field to help his teammates and enhance his blossoming reputation. Quinn will trust the player's opinion to a certain extent, but taking the decision out of his hands is another strong possibility.

If Daniels plays and isn't comfortable en route to potentially doing further damage, questions will be asked and scrutiny will arrive. That would be nothing short of disastrous for the Commanders, who are sitting at 5-2 with genuine hopes of winning the NFC East and making the postseason. These aspirations diminish if their signal-caller is on the sidelines for a considerable period.

Sitting him in Week 8 is worth it if it gives Daniels extra time to get himself back to somewhere near 100 percent. His practice participation this week will be crucial. And make no mistake, Quinn will be watching his every move extremely closely.

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