While the Washington Commanders haven’t been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, they’re not in position to make postseason magic like they conjured last season.
That said, at least they might have their full complement of offensive weapons for the home stretch.
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Thursday marked the first time since quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow in a «Monday Night Football» loss to the Seattle Seahawks that the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has practiced in full.
If he’s cleared to play Sunday on the road versus the Minnesota Vikings, a 3-9 Washington team will have its starting quarterback, top-three receivers and full starting offensive line on the field together for the first time this season, according to The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala.
Daniels’ second season in the league has been riddled by injury. The 24-year-old former No. 2 overall pick has started six games and has been sidelined for six others with three different issues.
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A sprained left knee cost him a pair of games during the first month of the season. A right hamstring strain kept him out in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
His latest injury, which head coach Dan Quinn took the blame for after keeping his second-year quarterback on the field late in the Commanders’ blowout loss to the Seahawks, was the most concerning of the bunch.
Daniels sustained the injury to his non-throwing arm with just about seven and a half minutes remaining in a 38-14 defeat. Washington was trailing by 31 points at the time. Daniels called his own number while under pressure on second-and-goal but was tackled short of the goal line. As he went down, he stuck out his left arm to brace his fall, and that’s when the gruesome injury occurred.
Despite how nasty the injury looked, it could have been worse. Daniels’ subsequent MRI revealed no ligament damage, meaning the LSU product didn’t need surgery.
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Daniels returned to practice last week, but he was limited and ultimately ruled out for a «Sunday Night Football» showdown with the Denver Broncos. Marcus Mariota continued to start in Daniels’ absence. Although the veteran turned in an admirable performance, bolstered by the return of star wideout Terry McLaurin, the Commanders fell in overtime for the second game in a row.
If Daniels gets the nod this week, he’ll be tasked with ushering in the first Commanders victory since Oct. 5, when he led Washington to a road win over the Los Angeles Chargers in his return from his knee injury.
The Commanders will be up against a Vikings team that’s set to get its own quarterback back. J.J. McCarthy has cleared concussion protocol and is on track to take the field Sunday.
