Commanders coach Dan Quinn was feeling grateful on Thanksgiving week. His quarterback, second-year star Jayden Daniels, returned to practice Wednesday less than four weeks after dislocating his elbow in a gruesome fashion.
The pain of Washington’s ongoing six-game losing streak has dulled since the Nov. 16 overtime defeat at the hands of the Miami Dolphins in Madrid. Quinn and company came back eager to hit the field.
“Players-wise, you can feel that energy,” the coach said. “Seeing some of their teammates come back, that’s a big deal.”
Previously injured wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown also joined their signal-caller at practice, as did safety Will Harris, a versatile member of the defense. The returning players, whether they play on Sunday or not, helped inject life into a locker room that’s seen plenty of losses.
“It’s definitely fun seeing guys back out there,” rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt said. “They’re a big part of what we do.”
The last time McLaurin and Brown hit the practice field together, the Commanders were 1-0 with realistic dreams of another deep postseason run. Now, they’re 3-8 with eyes on the offseason.
The dark times aren’t over yet. Quinn stopped short of calling McLaurin, Brown or Daniels “full” practice participants. The quarterback is still “unlikely” to start Sunday night’s home game against the Denver Broncos, according to the coach.
“The rehab part first, that’s where you start. And so, it’s not going to be this way forever when you’re in a sling and not doing well. Here’s the next step; what’s the next marker? And practice is the next one,” Quinn said. “Little more enthusiasm, a little more momentum, knowing where the next thing can come.”
Daniels joined his fellow passers in some, but not all, of Wednesday’s drills. He was still able to fire the ball to his receivers and side-step cones in the pocket. Between exercises, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year appeared to hold his left arm gingerly at his side.
Washington’s franchise quarterback didn’t take snaps with the first-team offense; those still belonged to backup Marcus Mariota. The journeyman has started five games in place of Daniels this season, tossing seven touchdowns and five interceptions while posting a 1-4 record.
“It was awesome just to have him again, like all the guys that are working back,” Mariota said of Daniels’ return to the practice field. “But this is what we do. We play football. I think for all of us, it’s just nice to be out there to do our thing.”
Daniels’ week of practice isn’t intended to prepare him for the Broncos. The Commanders want him for the rest of the season — and the foreseeable future. Tossing passes into a net is just the next part of the process.
“All of us in life, sometimes we’re looking all the way down the road. Let’s get to the next step, into the next step. We’re not going to miss any with him,” Quinn said. “He knows, we all know the importance of him and the franchise, so we’re not going to miss any steps.”
The development of any second-year player requires time on the field. But it also demands time with top receivers. Even when Daniels has been healthy this season, he’s been running an offense with metaphorical ankle weights.
McLaurin, an All-Pro last season, has missed all but three games this season with a nagging quad issue. Brown, the third receiver, hasn’t played since Week 2 due to a groin injury.
The resulting carousel of pass-catchers has failed to instill much fear in opposing defenses. As a result, the run game has struggled against stacked boxes, and Daniels has lacked the chemistry with receivers that helped him break out last season.
“Some of that is nice because of the continuity. It’s Terry, it’s Noah, it’s Deebo,” Quinn said, referring to the increasingly healthy group of wide-outs.
Whether Daniels should play at all in the final six games of a lost season is a hot-button issue among the Commanders’ fanbase. It is not a topic of conversation within the organization.
“If I’m healthy and I’m ready to go, I want to be out there,” Daniels told reporters Tuesday at a meal distribution event outside Northwest Stadium.
The sentiment didn’t surprise anyone in Washington’s locker room, including McLaurin, who called the quarterback “the ultimate competitor.”
“I know when he’s healthy and ready, he’s going to try to come back and play. That’s what we all want to do,” McLaurin said. “We’re football players. Injuries are a part of it, but we’re going to always fight, no matter what the record is.”