Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was forced to leave Sunday’s game due to injury, but could the ailment spoil a showdown with Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears?
During his Monday press conference, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn revealed that Daniels is “week-to-week” with a rib injury, and while he didn’t rule out playing the rookie quarterback this week, he did say that the team will be cautious with their handling of the situation.
“We’ll take him through all the steps at practice. We’ll assess how he’s doing. We’re hopeful he can play, but we’ll be sure to take every precautionary step and do everything smartly for the player and the man,” he said.
Quinn said the injury is not considered to be a long-term issue, which is good news for a Commanders squad that sits at 5-2 and is atop the NFC East after a 40-7 thrashing of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Daniels only managed two pass attempts in the game, but Marcus Mariota stepped in admirably, with an 18-of-23 performance for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
Mariota would in all likelihood be the starter for Washington against the Bears if Daniels can’t play.
The matchup between Daniels and Williams was a highly touted one for the NFL, with the league flexing it into a 3:25 p.m. kickoff slot for Sunday to set up a showdown between the top-two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2022, was selected No. 1 overall by the Bears, with 2023 Heisman winner Daniels going No. 2.
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The Bears and Commanders will square off at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday, with the game airing on CBS.
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