Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not be placed on Injured Reserve and is considered week-to-week after dislocating his elbow against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, head coach Dan Quinn said during his Friday press conference.
"Like most things, when you want to wait it out, you go through the 'what-ifs' in your head," Quinn said. "And sometimes, those are wors than the actual news. But you just wait to get all the information you can."
The decision comes after a week in which Daniels spoke to multiple specialists to determine the next steps for his recovery. The Commanders were quick to announce that backup Marcus Mariota would start for their Week 3 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks but stopped short of making any other decisions at quarterback until getting as much information as possible.
General manager Adam Peters told "The Junkies" on 106.7 The Fan that surgery was not being considered "as of now" and that IR was not being discussed.
Daniels injured himself during the final play of the first half against the Cowboys at the 1-yard line. It appeared that guard Chris Paul stepped on Daniels' foot, causing the quarterback to fall and use his left arm to catch himself. Daniels' elbow injury is similar to the one that caused him to miss multiple games last season.
Daniels was carted off the field but later returned to the Commanders' sideline wearing an air cast.
The Commanders' decision to not place Daniels on IR, which would have forced him to miss the next four games, implies that Daniels could return within that span. The Commanders have not given Daniels an official timeframe but will be cautious with his recovery, ensuring that his elbow is fully recovered before putting him back on the field.
For now, though, the Commanders are happy that Daniels returning is an option.
"What a great bit of news for him and for us," Quinn said.
After playing the Seahawks in Week 3, the Commanders are flying to London for an international matchup with the Indianapolis Colts and will return home for another division matchup against the New York Giants. They will then travel to California for a primetime game against the San Francisco 49ers before heading into their bye week.
