The Washington Commanders are going nowhere fast right now. They are 3-5 after their collapse on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs, which is placing a microscope on what the future might hold over the second half of 2025.
Jayden Daniels missed his third game of the campaign. The superstar quarterback is dealing with a low-grade hamstring strain that isn't expected to keep him out long-term. However, that didn't prevent one leading media personality from wondering just how much longer it would be before the Commanders shut down the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Stephen A. Smith from ESPN pondered what the Commanders could do with Daniels if their losing slump continues. And it caused fierce debate.
Stephen A. Smith wonders if Commanders will shut Jayden Daniels down if losing continues
Their chances of making the playoffs are remote. If the team suffers a few more losses to put any hopes of salvaging the campaign out of sight, Smith thought that would be a good chance for head coach Dan Quinn to protect his face of the franchise.
"What do you do with Jayden Daniels since you know that the prospects of you getting into the postseason are slim to none? You preserve your future. You protect the franchise. You might have to start thinking like that soon. I'm not talking about right now, we're only eight games in. You might have to think about that at some point, because he's slight of frame. You don't have the personnel to protect him. He is the face of the franchise. He's the future of the franchise. You want to protect him at all costs. You might have to think about that if you continue to nosedive. That's all I'm saying."
Stephen A. Smith
This is an asinine notion. For one, Daniels is far too competitive to accept being sat out because the Commanders aren't going to achieve anything. He wants to be out on the field to help his teammates. If he is healthy, he'll demand to be on the field, regardless of whether things are going well.
Shutting down players for the season is more associated with other sports. The Commanders are down right now, but they are not out of the fight yet.
Daniels needs to get back this weekend against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, and if his presence spearheads Washington to morale-boosting performances before the bye week, who knows what this team might be able to accomplish after an extended period of rest and refocus.
Of course, a situation could arise in which the Commanders' downward spiral continues. But even then, it would take a brave man to tell Daniels that he'll be on the sidelines when he is healthy enough to participate.
It's an interesting theory, but it's just not going to happen. Maybe in Week 18 if there is nothing to play for, but not before.