Jayden Daniels said he feels "good" in his first week back at practice with the Washington Commanders and is "taking it day by day" with his elbow injury.
Daniels, now wearing a brace on his left arm, was listed as limited in Wednesday's practice. The Commanders have not ruled him out for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts and will continue to monitor his progress throughout the week before determining on Friday whether he will play.
"We won't put him out there before he's ready," head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday. "That's why it's important to trust the process. But him being back on the field, that's a good step for us."
Daniels has looked normal during portions of practice open to media members. He moves with the same fluidity, makes his throws and cracks a smile while joking with his teammates. The only difference is the brace, which prevents him from fully extending his elbow. He'll wear that brace for the rest of the season, Quinn said, in an effort to reduce the possibility of dislocating the elbow for a third time.
It's not a decision that Daniels or the team made lightly. Daniels spoke with multiple specialists across the country to get as much information as possible about his injury before deciding on his next steps, which could have included surgery to repair and strengthen the injury. He and the Commanders got good news on that front, as it was decided that Daniels would not need surgery to play again this season.
With that possibility out of the way, Daniels could begin his recovery process for a return in the near future.
"I love football," Daniels said. "I play football. I get paid to play football ... Everybody's hurting. Something's wrong with somebody on this team, so I just feel like, for me, being a leader, being a guy going out there and giving my shot to go out there and play and obviously protect myself. I just love football. I have a passion for it."
Still, the Commanders want to be cautious about Daniels' recovery. It doesn't have anything to do with a pain threshold; Quinn said Daniels already has a high tolerance for dealing with any discomfort. Instead, they are monitoring the functionality in his arm to make sure he can handle all the responsibilities that come with his position.
Asked whether the brace affects his throwing motion, Daniels was quick to say, "Nope."
It will take some time for Daniels to get used to wearing the brace, though. Daniels said wearing it doesn't affect him, but there will be an adjustment period. It's slightly different than the one he wore last year when he returned following his first elbow dislocation because of how it prevents full extension. But in terms of things he can do with his non-throwing hand, such as handing off or pitching the ball, the brace does not prohibit him from those actions.
It will also help protect his arm should he fall in a similar fashion to how he did while sustaining the injury in Week 2.
"That's what the brace is for," Daniels said. "If I had that concern, I would have gotten surgery."
The Commanders will continue Daniels' return to play process throughout the week, slowly increasing his workload and relying on medical advice. While they want to get him back on the field as soon as possible, the Commanders won't make that decision until they are certain he is completely healthy.
"His drive is always strong to return to play," Quinn said. "Any athlete would probably tell you when you're going through something a second time there's a known entity of what the road looks like. We all feel that way. He does know what that process looks like and the mobility and the strength. There's a known entity of when you're ready."
Daniels admitted there was frustration when he sustained the injury at the end of the first half against the Dallas Cowboys. He felt like he was "getting my groove," and it seemed like the Cowboys' defense had few answers for him as he rushed for 69 yards and completed 11 of his 17 pass attempts. He had the offense at the Cowboys' 1-yard line with the chance of tying the score and getting the ball back to start the third quarter.
But other than that, there haven't been many emotions from Daniels about the injury. He just wants to get back on the field and help his teammates win games, and they're just as eager as he is for that to happen.
"And at the end of the day, I think if he's out there and he can play, he should play," backup Marcus Mariota said Wednesday. "This is his team. And the more that we can help support that and give him all the tools that he needs to be successful, that's what our roles are. So, for what it's worth, I think at the end of the day, he's gonna make a decision that's best fit for the entire organization and we're gonna support that."
