When will Jayden Daniels return? Latest injury updates on Commanders QB
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels' gruesome injury was not bad enough to guarantee his season is over.
According to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, Daniels' dislocated left elbow was not even severe enough to land him on injured reserve. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Nov. 7 that Daniels managed to avoid any ligament damage in his elbow and will therefore avoid surgery.
Glazer said on Nov. 9 that Washington plans to re-evaluate its starting quarterback in three weeks, setting up a potential return to action shortly after the team's Week 12 bye.
In the meantime, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota will continue to start behind center for the Commanders. In four starts this season, Mariota is 1-3.
When will Jayden Daniels return?
Daniels remains out for the Commanders' Week 11 game against the Miami Dolphins. The two teams will face off in Madrid, and two Hawaiian quarterbacks will start against each other for the second time this season – Tua Tagovailoa for the Dolphins and Mariota for the Commanders.
Washington's former No. 2 overall pick suffered a dislocated left (non-throwing) elbow in the final moments of the team's Week 9 "Sunday Night Football" loss to the Seattle Seahawks. According to reporting from Glazer of Fox Sports and Rapoport of NFL Network, Daniels avoided major ligament damage in his elbow and will avoid both surgery and a stint on injured reserve.
Had the injury been more severe, the Commanders might have placed him on IR, where he would have missed a minimum of four weeks. Instead, the team will re-evaluate its quarterback in three weeks, per Glazer.
If Daniels doesn't have any setbacks, a re-evaluation in three weeks could point to a return in Week 13 against the Broncos, one week after the Commanders' Week 12 bye. Otherwise, it could come in Week 14 against the Vikings in Minnesota.
There's still a possibility the Commanders end up shutting Daniels down for the season, especially if Washington remains a long shot to make the playoffs in the coming weeks.
Daniels has played in just six games this year, with a knee injury keeping him out in Weeks 3 and 4, a hamstring injury knocking him out for Week 8, and his latest arm injury leading to more missed time. In those six games, the Commanders are 2-4. Daniels has a 62.5% completion rate with 1,184 passing yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Commanders' second-year quarterback also has 262 yards and two touchdowns on 54 rush attempts.
Commanders QB depth chart
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Marcus Mariota
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Josh Johnson
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Jayden Daniels (out – elbow)
Mariota will make his fifth start for the Commanders in Week 11 as Daniels remains out with his elbow injury. In six appearances (four starts) this season, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft is 1-3 with a 65.5% completion rate, 852 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Johnson, the ultimate journeyman quarterback, is in a second stint with the Commanders after making three starts for Washington in 2018. He has yet to appear in a game.
The Commanders also have former Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman on their practice squad.
Justin Jefferson Drops True Feelings on J.J. McCarthy Struggles
J.J. McCarthy struggled, completing 16 of 32 passes for 150 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He did lead a strong late drive, finding Jordan Addison for a go-ahead touchdown, but that effort wasn’t enough to turn around the team’s difficulties over the course of the game.
Additionally, the Bears had just enough time after that touchdown pass to kick the game-winning field goal. Amid McCarthy’s struggles, Justin Jefferson, who recorded five receptions for 61 receiving yards, was asked about the second-year quarterback.
“I mean, it wasn’t the best game for any of us,” Jefferson told reporters after the loss. “I felt like we should have played better overall. But at the end of the day, when it really counted, J.J. stepped up. That’s the main focus.
“Of course, there are things to work on and fix on the offensive side of the ball. We also need to help the defense out a lot more than we’re doing. Like I said, we have to look at the film, see what needs to be fixed, work on it, and come back ready to go.”
Justin Jefferson Offers Advice to Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy
While McCarthy does have a captain’s patch on his jersey, he’s still learning to navigate the NFL and the adversity that all players face when they come into the league. As a result, Jefferson, who is also a captain, shared the advice he’s giving his quarterback amid the issues under center.
“Everybody feels like it’s difficult, it’s not something we’re keeping under the rug or anything,” Jefferson added. “Yes, it’s difficult. But as a team, as a captain, as a leader of this team, I have to be the first one out there.
“I have to be the one leading us in the direction of winning and being where we need to be. So if that means taking J.J. out and getting more time with him and building that connection, then that’s what I have to do. I have to figure out what I need to do to get us over that hump.”
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Draws Criticism
All the criticism is falling on McCarthy for how he’s performed over the last couple of games. The latest to drop their take on the Vikings signal caller was former Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman.
“What would the Vikings offense look like if they decided to just keep Sam Darnold?” Sherman wrote during the Vikings-Bears game on X.
Moreover, Sherman followed up this take with ruthless post-game criticism of the Vikings’ starting quarterback, noting that “Justin Jefferson would probably want another QB soon.” The former Seahawks player didn’t stop there as he fired off one more post aimed at McCarthy.
“I’m old enough to remember the comments I got when I told folks I wasn’t sure if McCarthy was the answer and they let a good quarter fool them,” Sherman added on X. “Football isn’t an exact science by any means but when you’re set up with one of the best play callers in football and one of the best WRs usually success can be manufactured.”
