Commanders Give Positive Injury Update on QB Jayden Daniels
Even the most brief glimmer of hope seems like a bright ray of sunshine to Washington Commanders fans right now. It’s been that kind of year.
One day after a blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 8, ESPN’s John Keim reported that superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels will be back at practice on Wednesday. That’s the glimmer.
Daniels missed the game against the Chiefs with a hamstring injury — the third game he’s missed this season due to injuries. He missed the 2 previous games with a knee sprain.
“Dan Quinn said QB Jayden Daniels had a good rehab session; expects him to practice tomorrow,” Keim wrote on X on October 28.
After the loss, the Commanders are now 3-5 and staring down a season on the verge of coming apart after they entered the year as Super Bowl contenders.
Now, the Commanders return home for back to back home games against a pair of NFC contenders with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9 and Detroit Lions in Week 10.
The Commanders and Chiefs were actually tied at halftime, 7-7, before the Chiefs pulled away for the 28-7 win.
“The Washington Commanders proved in the 1st half they can play with anybody despite all the injuries on this roster,” former Commanders quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Robert Griffin III wrote on his official X account following the loss to the Chiefs. “Jayden Daniels coming back healthy will give this entire team a lift and allow them to compete for 4 quarters. Not the year anyone wanted, but it’s not over yet.”
Daniels Injured in Week 7 loss to Cowboys
Daniels injured his hamstring in a 44-22, Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and was ruled out for the Chiefs game early — by Wednesday before a Monday game the Commanders had already announced he wouldn’t play.
“Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who suffered a low-grade hamstring strain on Sunday, is going to be out for MNF against the Chiefs, sources say,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on October 22. “Marcus Mariota gets the start.”
The Commanders could use a spark from anywhere right now. Not only was the loss to the Chiefs their third consecutive defeat, it was their second straight loss by 20 or more points.
Concerns About Durability Before 2024 NFL Draft
While Daniels didn’t miss a start in a brilliant rookie year, he did miss essentially an entire game when he injured his ribs on the first offensive series of a Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers and let Mariota take over the rest of the game.
There have always been concerns about Daniels’ durability dating back to his time in college at Arizona State and LSU before the Commanders selected him No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. That’s not because he missed time in college — he didn’t miss a single start — but because of his size and style of play.
Daniels is the best dual threat NFL quarterback prospect to come along since 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson — a Hesiman Trophy winner, like Daniels, who was also very durable in college but has battled injuries throughout his NFL career.
Cowboys Trade for Myles Garrett Just Got a Lot More Likely After New Report
A notable NFL insider has offered up a detailed explanation for why the Dallas Cowboys making a blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett in the next week is very realistic.
After the Cleveland Browns gave superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett a four-year extension worth $160 million earlier this year, it seemed even more likely that the six-time Pro Bowler would actually finish his career in Cleveland. Then Week 8 happened.
On Sunday, Garrett had a game of a lifetime as he posted five sacks against the New England Patriots. However, it meant nothing as the Browns were still blown out by a score of 32-13. Garrett was seen enraged on the sidelines late in the game, and speculation grew louder that he could push for an exit like he reportedly did earlier this year.
However, many around the game believe his massive contract would make a trade very difficult. But, according to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano, that may not necessarily be the case. He admits that trading Garrett now would mean a big dead cap hit to Cleveland in the years ahead. But various teams have taken on bigger cap hits while getting nothing in return.
“That’s a lot of dead money, but it’s not even close to the record,” Graziano writes. “The Broncos took on about $80 million when they cut Russell Wilson last year, and they made the playoffs last season and look poised to do so again. The Buccaneers are still carrying Tom Brady’s dead money and they won their division every season. We see teams do this more and more as the salary cap continues to rise significantly each year.”
Cowboys could create perfect draft scenario for Browns in Myles Garrett trade
Along with that, Graziano added that there are two other key factors in a potential trade before the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline. First, Garrett has to want it. Considering the Browns’ long-term outlook and where he would go in the deal, waiving his no-trade clause shouldn’t be a big problem. But Cleveland also must get an offer that makes it worth taking on all that dead money.
Well, the Cowboys are one of the few teams that can make the sort of offer the Browns would want, and that is two first-round picks in April, according to Graziano. After the Micah Parsons trade, they will have two first-rounders in 2026, and following his exit, they still have a desperate need for pass-rushing help this season and beyond.
- Myles Garrett stats: 8 games, 10 sacks, 31 tackles, 15 tackles for loss
“Cleveland would be looking at the possibility of having four first-round selections in the 2026 draft,” Graziano wrote. “The Browns would be able to completely control Round 1 and come out of it with whichever quarterback they wanted. The acquiring team would have to pay Garrett a fairly reasonable $31.5 million in fully guaranteed money in 2026 and about $30.5 million in 2027.”
Based on those details, it sure seems like a blockbuster Myles Garrett trade for the Dallas Cowboys is there for the taking if the star pass rusher really wants out. Especially since the Browns could have a franchise-changing draft next year from what they could get in the deal.
