Jayden Daniels' season seemed in jeopardy. Until it wasn't.
The Washington Commanders quarterback dislocated his elbow for a second straight season in the team's Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Things looked bleak in the immediate aftermath, with surgery being on the table for one of the league's young stars.
After an injury-riddled second season, that was the last thing that the 25-year-old needed. Yet surgery is on the back burner for now, and the elbow brace has come to the front, in hopes of saving the season for Daniels and the Commanders.
With the team set to kick off the London slate of games this season in Week 4, everyone wants to know: will Jayden Daniels be suited up for the international contest?
Here's the latest.
Will Jayden Daniels play in Week 4?
Daniels will not
play in Week 4.
The Commanders signal-caller traveled with the team to London and returned to practice in a limited capacity ahead of Week 4. It represented a positive turn of events for Daniels, who failed to participate ahead of Week 3.
Daniels told reporters on Thursday, Oct. 1 that he was just taking everything "day by day" and wasn't surprised to be back on the field so quickly.
While he doesn't have a full range of motion with the brace on, Daniels vowed that it won't change anything about his game.
Overall, his concern level about reinjuring the elbow is low.
"That's what the brace is for," Daniels said. "If I had that concern, I would have gotten surgery."
The 25-year-old explained that he chose to avoid surgery for now because he wants to keep playing.
"I love playing football, I get paid to play football," Daniels said. "Everybody is hurting. I just feel for me being a leader, go out there and give it my shot to go out and play and obviously protect myself. I just love football and have a passion for it."
Jayden Daniels injury update
Daniels suffered a left elbow dislocation in Week 2.
X-rays showed no fracture, which was a good sign for Daniels' availability going forward. While he might eventually need surgery, there seems to be a chance that he could avoid it during the season by playing with a brace on.
Of course, it's unclear how the quarterback's elbow will react outside of a controlled practice setting.
The Commanders' performance without him and Daniels' ability to take hits could go a long way in determining his future availability.
When will Jayden Daniels return?
Daniels appears to be on the fast track to return relatively soon.
His return to practice suggests he could return as early as Week 5 against the New York Giants. If Washington wants to err on the side of caution, the team has just two games left before a Week 7 bye after returning home from London.
By then, Daniels would have had five weeks to rest and recover before the playoff push.
Commanders QB depth chart
- Jayden Daniels
- Marcus Mariota
- Athan Kaliakmanis
- Sam Hartman (practice squad)
While the Commanders would probably love to live in a world where Daniels doesn't get hurt, it's comforting to have a veteran like Mariota available to step in when needed. He is a steadying force with plenty of experience, and the Commanders have been able to lean on him.
Kaliakmanis is a seventh-round rookie out of Rutgers and hasn't gotten into a game yet.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jayden Daniels injury update: Latest on Commanders QB's status for today's game
