Guess who's back... back again. That's right: Jayden Daniels will suit up for the Washington Commanders in their Week 14 road tilt against the Minnesota Vikings. Tell a friend.
It's the best news the Commanders could ask for as they look to build momentum down the home stretch of what's been a nightmarish season. They've lost seven in a row to drop to 3-9, but they at least competed in their past two contests, and now they have their franchise quarterback returning under center.
But Daniels alone can't solve all of Washington's issues. That's been proven all season. He needs help so he can stay in the Commanders' lineup for the remainder of 2025.
Protecting Jayden Daniels will be key down the stretch run of Commanders' lost season
Many fans didn't want to see Daniels back at all this year, which is ridiculous. He's still a developing second-year pro, and as long as he's 100 percent healthy, it serves both him and Washington well to have him on the field. The only positive of shutting him down is that you could guarantee he wouldn't get injured again.
He can also not get injured again while he's playing, and objective No. 1 for the next five weeks becomes ensuring that is the case. That means his offensive line needs to step up, and he must also be protected from himself.
In the first regard, things are already trending up. Laremy Tunsil has been playing at an All-Pro level, and Josh Conerly Jr. has made rapid progress in recent weeks. Sam Cosmi is getting back to being his pre-injury self by the week, and Chris Paul and Tyler Biadasz have at least been serviceable.
Daniels was under pressure at an alarming rate when he last suited up against the Seattle Seahawks, and since then, Washington has seen vast improvement in the trenches. That will need to continue against a strong Vikings front, as well as in the following weeks.
More importantly, though, the Commanders need to be careful in how they use Daniels. He can't be exposing himself to big hits at the rate he was before his most recent injury. Kliff Kingsbury needs to design fewer rollouts and read options and open up the downfield passing attack more. With star wide receiver Terry McLaurin back in the fold, that job should be made easier.
The Commanders can end their 2025 season on a high note, and Daniels' return is the most crucial key to that. But Washington can't afford to have him be sidelined again.