From a larger perspective, it’s fair to wonder why Quinn is considering playing Daniels at all. The Commanders’ franchise quarterback has suffered a number of injuries in his second season and has only been able to participate in seven of their 13 games. With a repeat trip to the playoffs no longer possible, it would seem wise to prevent further damage by shutting down Daniels for the remainder of the campaign.
Quinn said the Commanders haven’t considered doing so with Daniels, instead affording him the opportunity to work his way back into the lineup.
“As far as what decisions are ahead, we just haven’t gone down that road,” Quinn said. “He’s working incredibly hard to get back with the guys.”
Such desire and effort are commendable but might prove foolish, especially for a player who carries immense value for a franchise. Quinn has already expressed regret for how he’s handled Daniels’ participation once this season, admitting he shouldn’t have kept Daniels on the field late in Washington’s blowout loss to Seattle, the game in which Daniels initially suffered the elbow injury.
Instead of learning from his mistake, the coach will allow his young signal-caller a chance to participate in what is otherwise a lost season. He won’t play Sunday, but with three more games left, we’ll see if Daniels takes the field again in 2025.