Jayden Daniels takes expected first step in Week 8 participation quest

Jayden Daniels' progress throughout the week will be monitored closer than almost anyone around the league. The Washington Commanders are waiting to see if their star quarterback does enough to take the field in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium after injuring his rib. It's a step-by-step process, but nobody knows for sure right now.

The Commanders didn't need Daniels for anything more than one series versus the lowly Carolina Panthers en route to another convincing triumph. Dan Quinn probably wouldn't have risked him even if he was healthy. This weekend poses a much bigger challenge, so the signal-caller is looking to do everything he can to take his place in the lineup.

Quinn isn't going to throw him out there if he isn't 100 percent convinced. The Commanders will consider everything to the last detail before making a decision. They'll probably leave it right up until game day depending on his response throughout the week.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels held out of Wednesday's practice

Daniels took an expected first step in his participation quest on Wednesday. Quinn stated to the media that the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft wouldn't practice. Instead, he would be getting treatment for the rib issue and also going through meetings with the coaching staff.

Nobody should be too shocked by this. The Commanders weren't anticipating Daniels to be practicing to kick off their preparations. It's not ideal, but every precaution must be taken with the team's prized possession.

If Daniels cannot do anything on Thursday or Friday, that's a much bigger problem. Veteran understudy Marcus Mariota got first-team reps to start the week and is a capable option who can implement offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's scheme effectively. He doesn't have the dynamism the first-year-pro brings to the table, but he's serviceable if the playmakers get open.

There shouldn't be much panic at this juncture. It's still relatively early days regarding Daniels' status in Week 8. Everyone wants to watch the former LSU star go up against No. 1 pick and fellow Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. CBS even flexed the game to their prime late afternoon slot with Jima Nantz and Tony Romo on the call. But the Commanders will do what's best for the player and the team.

Realistically, this could go either way right now.

Daniels is a competitive guy who'll fight hard to convince the coaching staff he's ready to go. That might not be enough, so it'll be interesting to see how things unfold before the final injury report is revealed.

Until then, fingers crossed.

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