Even the most brief glimmer of hope seems like a bright ray of sunshine to Washington Commanders fans right now. It’s been that kind of year.
One day after a blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 8, ESPN’s John Keim reported that superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels will be back at practice on Wednesday. That’s the glimmer.
Daniels missed the game against the Chiefs with a hamstring injury — the third game he’s missed this season due to injuries. He missed the 2 previous games with a knee sprain.
“Dan Quinn said QB Jayden Daniels had a good rehab session; expects him to practice tomorrow,” Keim wrote on X on October 28.
After the loss, the Commanders are now 3-5 and staring down a season on the verge of coming apart after they entered the year as Super Bowl contenders.
Now, the Commanders return home for back to back home games against a pair of NFC contenders with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9 and Detroit Lions in Week 10.
The Commanders and Chiefs were actually tied at halftime, 7-7, before the Chiefs pulled away for the 28-7 win.
“The Washington Commanders proved in the 1st half they can play with anybody despite all the injuries on this roster,” former Commanders quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Robert Griffin III wrote on his official X account following the loss to the Chiefs. “Jayden Daniels coming back healthy will give this entire team a lift and allow them to compete for 4 quarters. Not the year anyone wanted, but it’s not over yet.”
Daniels Injured in Week 7 loss to Cowboys
Daniels injured his hamstring in a 44-22, Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and was ruled out for the Chiefs game early — by Wednesday before a Monday game the Commanders had already announced he wouldn’t play.
“Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who suffered a low-grade hamstring strain on Sunday, is going to be out for MNF against the Chiefs, sources say,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on October 22. “Marcus Mariota gets the start.”
The Commanders could use a spark from anywhere right now. Not only was the loss to the Chiefs their third consecutive defeat, it was their second straight loss by 20 or more points.
Concerns About Durability Before 2024 NFL Draft
While Daniels didn’t miss a start in a brilliant rookie year, he did miss essentially an entire game when he injured his ribs on the first offensive series of a Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers and let Mariota take over the rest of the game.
There have always been concerns about Daniels’ durability dating back to his time in college at Arizona State and LSU before the Commanders selected him No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. That’s not because he missed time in college — he didn’t miss a single start — but because of his size and style of play.
Daniels is the best dual threat NFL quarterback prospect to come along since 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson — a Hesiman Trophy winner, like Daniels, who was also very durable in college but has battled injuries throughout his NFL career.
Commanders Give Positive Injury Update on QB Jayden Daniels