Jayden Daniels will miss his second consecutive contest for the Washington Commanders when they take on the Indianapolis Colts in London. And after Marcus Mariota's dazzling display in Week 3, it's unquestionably the right call.
Daniels is recovering from a dislocated elbow he suffered two weeks ago in Dallas and is considered week-to-week. But because his health is so critical and it's a repeat injury, you don't want to rush him back.
And with a capable backup like Mariota performing at his level, there's no need to rush him back anyway.
Commanders can take things slowly with Jayden Daniels if Marcus Mariota's hot hand continues
Daniels is a competitor. He wants to play. He probably would have played last Sunday if it were up to him.
But alas, it was not, and Mariota led the Commanders to an upset win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
This brings up a tricky situation.
If the Commanders completely unravel in Daniels' absence, you have to ask whether it's worth bringing him back during a lost season. But as long as Mariota is keeping Washington afloat, you also have to think twice about doing anything to disrupt the momentum.
Mariota is ultimately a backup. This isn't a quarterback controversy. If Daniels is healthy, he suits up.
But his return should also depend, at least in part, on how the team performs without him, since there is naturally less urgency when all is well.
Commanders are taking the right approach with Jayden Daniels, and Marcus Mariota makes it easy
Right now, the Commanders have something going with Mariota at the helm. For that reason, their Week 4 decision was a no-brainer.
The worst thing the Commanders can do is bring Daniels back before he's ready, have him re-injure himself, and then the wheels fall off the wagon with Mariota.
Then nobody is there to save them.
Right now, there are options. Washington has a high-quality backup with a hot hand and a starter who is weeks, not months, away from returning. It's not a bad problem to have, even if everybody would like to see Daniels on the field.
The Commanders can win their next two games with Mariota. Even if they split with the Colts and the New York Giants, 2-3 won't be the end of the world with the schedule getting much easier around November.
If they can win both, then the Commanders will be no worse than .500 at their bye, which Daniels' return should come no later than.
Daniels will be back. But right now, it's about creating the best possible situation for his return.
And as long as Mariota is playing like a starter, that situation is becoming much easier for Washington.
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