The Washington Commanders will travel to face the Detroit Lions in their second preseason game on Aug. 22 at Ford Field. Nonetheless, for this contest, should the Commanders play Jayden Daniels?
After the injury to veteran QB Marcus Mariota, the question is whether Washington wants to run the risk of Daniels getting hurt in the preseason. While the Commanders could lean on the side of caution after Mariota’s injury, Brian Mitchell of 106.7 The Fan believes the team needs to take the risk and play Daniels.
“With Washington this year, you have two coordinators who are doing it for the first time,” Mitchell said on Aug. 17. “You have a lot of young people you’re going to be dependent upon. Do you think they can play and have the same level of readiness as a team that is full of veterans?
“With so many young guys and young coordinators, I just think that you have to try it a little bit and do stuff to protect your guy. You’re not showing much anyway. Three-step drops, handoff, do a little thing. But get a little of something going is all I’m saying.”
Daniels didn’t play in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. Furthermore, with Mariota out for the rest of the preseason and expected to be ready for Week 1, perhaps playing their signal-caller might be too much of a risk for Washington.
Lions’ Defense Won’t Be Holding Back in Preseason Game
Moreover, in that segment, JP Finlay played devil’s advocate and noted that in the Lions’ first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit’s defense wasn’t holding back on its pass rush against Joe Burrow. As a result, if they didn’t hold back Burrow, they won’t be holding back with Daniels.
“Certainly, you could absolutely get hurt in practice, but nobody hits the quarterbacks in practice,” Finlay said. “You better not get close to them. You get into a preseason game, and honestly, I don’t know if people watch this, the Lions’ first preseason game was against the Bengals. They were smoking Joe Burrow.”
Commanders’ Dan Quinn on Jayden Daniels’ Preseason Plan
Before the game against the Lions, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was asked whether his preseason plan for Daniels took a hit after Mariota’s injury.
“As far as the game [against the Lions] goes, no, not right now,” Quinn told reporters on Aug. 16 about whether he has his plan for Daniels set ahead of the second preseason game. “I recognize the question, but right now we’re kind of going into these two days still in training camp mode. That’ll be Tuesday and Wednesday and a big padded block of stuff.
“As far as how much starters and what we do, some of it will depend on what I’m seeing on Tuesday and Wednesday. We’ve got a bunch of situations that I’m trying to work through. Two-minute, four-minute, some goal-line stuff. So, this is kind of our most heightened training camp block coming up. So, I’m excited to see that. But we haven’t gotten, in terms of planning the game yet, to that part.”
These next couple of days will likely determine whether Quinn wants to protect Daniels for the regular season or values the quarterback getting reps in a live game to prepare for Week 1.
Commanders Get Strong Jayden Daniels Take Before Lions Game