Looking ahead to Week 14 of the NFL schedule, the Washington Commanders‘ game against the Minnesota Vikings was initially of little interest.

This road game against the Vikings features two teams going nowhere in 2025. Minnesota is 4-8, and Washington is 3-9. NFL fans and NFL media were no doubt nodding off just thinking about this game until there was some changing news for both teams.

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The Vikings say QB J.J. McCarthy will return, and the Commanders‘ head coach, Dan Quinn, announced at his Friday press conference just after noon that Jayden Daniels has been cleared to play. NFL fans will want to check in on Daniels to see how he has recovered following the gruesome left elbow dislocation seen on Sunday Night Football vs. Seattle five weeks ago.

Daniels and McCarthy were taken in the same draft (2024), both in the first round. Daniels, selected second overall by Washington, enjoyed a great rookie season. McCarthy was taken 10th overall by the Vikings; however, he suffered a knee injury (torn meniscus) in the 2024 preseason, keeping him sidelined all of 2024.

Most recently, both Daniels and McCarthy have had their struggles in 2025. McCarthy has played in only six games this season, and the Vikings have won only two of those starts. The former Michigan Wolverine suffered a high ankle sprain, missing five games. Then he missed all of last week due to a concussion.

Daniels has been injured in three games this season, suffering a knee injury in Week 2 vs. the Packers, a hamstring injury in Dallas in Week 7, and a horrible-to-see dislocated elbow at home against the Seahawks in Week 9. Thus, backup Marcus Mariota has actually played more than Daniels in 2025 through Week 13. Daniels is also only 2-4 in the games he has started.

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Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to blitz a lot, so Daniels might see some really fast-paced defense in his return to action. In addition, Daniels took some shots he didn’t need vs. Seattle. Has Daniels reached a point where he is determined to get down quicker or get out of bounds quicker?

Also, Daniels could learn a thing or two from the young, brash, foolishness of New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart. Dart repeatedly denies the reality that is the NFL and finds himself taking vicious, legal hits he could completely avoid. One quick example, did you see Monday night?

Dart could have easily gotten out of bounds at the 35-yard line for a nice 8-yard gain. But no, he wanted more, and he paid the price with a very legal hit. That hit was all on Dart, and I can’t imagine that Dan Quinn didn’t make sure this week Jayden Daniels was shown that hit as a teaching object lesson.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Week 14 vs. Vikings is now more interesting