Jayden Daniels carries the weight of an entire franchise on his shoulders. The Washington Commanders quarterback proved he's broad enough to handle this phenomenal expectation last season during his rookie rise to superstardom. It wasn't perfect, but he did enough to get his second campaign off to a good start in Week 1 versus the New York Giants.
Daniels immediately turned the page. The Commanders embarked on a short week before their Thursday Night Football showdown against the Green Bay Packers. It's a mouth-watering collision between two clubs that boast lofty ambitions. But for the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, it's just another day at the office.
There was some mild concern among the fan base when Daniels popped up on the predicted injury report to start the week. Washington listed its franchise player as a full participant during Monday's walkthrough with a right wrist issue. Nothing to overly concern, but something to monitor nonetheless.
Jayden Daniels is good to go as expected for Commanders' primetime clash
The former LSU standout didn't take long to alleviate these worries. Daniels was spotted in his customary hoodie for Tuesday's practice. Although nothing was confirmed for sure, the final injury report confirmed what fans already knew.
Daniels is ready to go, just like always.
There was no sign of the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year on Washington's final injury report before heading north. Whatever wrist complication Daniels was supposedly suffering from wasn't anywhere close to keeping him out of action. It was probably down to the Commanders' extreme precaution the day after a game and nothing more.
Everything is proceeding as planned. Daniels has the poise, precision, flawless demeanor, and elite-level mentality to ensure the Commanders are never out of the fight. Lambeau Field will be a hostile environment, but the Cajon High School graduate proved on countless occasions last season that he is the man for the big occasion.
Adam Peters strengthened the roster aggressively throughout another busy offseason. However, the Commanders will only go as far as Daniels takes them. Thankfully, his wrist injury wasn't much of anything, and everyone can breathe a collective sigh of relief.
The Packers won't have prepared for anything less than Daniels being out on the field. They'll have a plan in place, but scheming for the dynamic dual-threat is far simpler than restricting his influence when it's time to get down to business.
Hopefully, the Packers will find that out to their cost, and Daniels can lead the Commanders to another monumental statement with the national spotlight glaring.