Jayden Daniels has had an extremely tough 2025 season.

The young quarterback exploded onto the scene as a rookie in 2024, winning the Rookie of the Year Award and leading his Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game. As a result, expectations were through the roof for the quarterback in 2025.

Unfortunately, injuries have blown up this season. Daniels has only played in seven of the team’s 13 games, and it’s a real possibility he doesn’t play again in 2025. Daniels has thrown for 1,262 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions this season.

Daniels missed most of the month of November with a left elbow injury and made his return in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings. Because nothing can go right for the Commanders in 2025, Daniels suffered another injury to that same elbow in the blowout loss.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently shared what he’s hearing about Daniels’ injuries.

“Some have suggested resting Daniels for the remainder of a lost season in which he has already missed time with three separate injuries, though what the team and Daniels have said publicly so far indicates that he will play if healthy,” Graziano explained. “We’ll see if the thinking changes.”

There is seemingly not much to gain from trotting Daniels out. At 3-10, the Commanders’ playoff hopes have long been dead, and one of Daniels’ top targets, Zach Ertz, was recently lost for the season.

Graziano went on to explain that some around the league feel the Commanders aren’t being careful enough with their star passer.

“Some also feel there’s a discussion Washington needs to have about how much it is exposing Daniels to potential contact with designed runs on first down,” said Graziano. “Daniels has the ninth-most first-down rushing attempts of any QB in the league this season, despite playing only seven games. Over the past two seasons, he leads all NFL quarterbacks with 89 first-down rushing attempts.”

Of course, you don’t want to take away an important aspect of Daniels’ game, but you also have to protect his future. Calling so many designed runs for a banged-up quarterback is a recipe for disaster.

Although if Daniels isn’t going to run, would it be better just to rest him for the rest of the season? This is something head coach Dan Quinn will have to decide. The Commanders have four games remaining, all against NFC East opponents.