Jayden Daniels' second season has not gone as well as his first. That would be an understatement, and it's thanks to the injury problems suffered by the Washington Commanders' franchise quarterback.
Daniels has sustained a knee sprain, low-grade hamstring strain, and dislocated elbow in the six games he's played this season. The punishment and his playing style have taken their toll. Whether this results in a change of approach moving forward is debatable, but the most significant talking point right now is whether he should come back at all in 2025.
The Commanders are 3-8 at their bye week after reaching the NFC Championship game last year. The playoffs are gone, and so is any hope of securing a winning record. Washington's next six games are about evaluating the roster, although head coach Dan Quinn won't be throwing in the towel by any stretch of the imagination.
Commanders insider takes sensible approach to Jayden Daniels' possible return
While the Commanders didn't place Daniels on injured reserve, his situation remains precarious. If he goes back out there and gets hurt again, the repercussions would be catastrophic. At the same time, he needs to generate some positivity from the season, and there is no substitute for experience in a competitive setting.
Commanders insider Ben Standing, who now covers the team independently, thought bringing Daniels back for a couple of games could do more harm than good. But if he gets the all clear with three or four contests left, that seems much more feasible.
"I can't see him being back for Denver. After that, we'll have to see what Dan Quinn tells us. Do you play him no matter what? I've landed on as long as there's enough runway to make the games meaningful. He needs the reps, young guy, and all that, but one game does not do anything for me. Two games, I don't know, maybe. But if he's able to play the last three or four, that gives you some momentum. That gives you a chance to really try to fix some things and get things going to get some momentum for next year."
Ben Standig via The Team 980
Jayden Daniels back on the field when healthy? @BenStandig and @kevinsheehanDC discuss if the risk is worth the reward pic.twitter.com/3u2KxufkGn
— The Team 980 (@team980) November 17, 2025
This is the sensible way of approaching things. Daniels will want to be out there quickly, but the Commanders have to recognize this situation for what it is. And at the end of the day, the franchise player should be treated differently.
As Standig said, this is all about how much momentum could be generated. There's no guarantee these days, even with Daniels in the lineup. But if it's just a token gesture down the stretch to appease fans or even the stand-alone contests over the Christmas period, that would be a massive mistake.
Daniels' recovery and making sure he is fully healed from all ailments for a prosperous future beyond 2025 are the main objectives. If that means he's got to sit the rest of the way, so be it, but it's not like the Commanders are going anywhere regardless.