Jayden Daniels was only on the field for three snaps in the Washington Commanders' preseason defeat to the Detroit Lions. Fans wanted to see a little more of the quarterback, but keeping the bigger picture in mind is crucial.
Besides, there was a massive problem in front of Daniels that only increased the risk of Washington's franchise player taking some unnecessary punishment.
The Lions were in Daniels' face. He was pressured. He was sacked. And the freedom Detroit had to get the signal-caller off his typical rhythm was glaring.
Jayden Daniels was exposed in brief Commanders cameo against the Lions
And it simply cannot continue.
While it's hard to judge a performance based on one series that went three-and-out, the Commanders' offensive line has been an issue all summer.
They will be without five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil for most, if not all, of the season. Projected starting center Nick Allegretti has barely been seen this summer after suffering a calf strain on the first day of training camp. And the cracks are already showing.
With veteran backup Marcus Mariota out injured, the Commanders couldn't take any risks where Daniels was concerned. Perhaps the plan was to play only one series, but when Quinn saw him take an avoidable hit through no fault of his own, the decision to take him out was straightforward.
And he was right to do so.
There are no moral victories in the NFL, certainly not in the preseason. Daniels dealt with significant injury problems last season, and things just weren't stable enough in front of him to justify any more involvement at Ford Field.
Commanders cannot leave anything to chance with Jayden Daniels' protection
It's that simple.
Quinn acknowledged that the Commanders have to figure out the issues at center. If the anchor is unstable, everything crumbles. Allegretti might be serviceable, but he's also missed some vital reps throughout the summer ahead of his big transition.
This concern is not going overlooked by those in the building. If the Commanders can find an upgrade, they should, but it's a complication they brought on themselves.
The injury to Tunsil was just bad luck. The issues at center are self-inflicted.
Though the Commanders have revamped their roster this offseason, they will only go as far as Daniels takes them. Offensive coordinator David Blough's new scheme will help enormously, but if the offensive line doesn't do its part, Washington's ceiling will be limited.
There were some positives. Right guard Sam Cosmi looks healthy and ready to make a real difference. Brandon Coleman is transitioning well to the blindside, and right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is showing decent progress before Year 2 of his professional career.
Unfortunately, that will be nowhere near enough to keep Daniels upright and on the field.
General manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to make changes if the right opportunities present themselves. But with Daniels heading into a critical third season with new doubters to silence, nothing should be left to chance.
Otherwise, the consequences will be severe.
Add us as a preferred source on Google