Jayden Daniels is back on the practice field, and assuming all goes well, he'll be the starter when the Washington Commanders play the New York Giants this weekend.
It's clear that Daniels, who sat out the Commanders' previous two games, is eager to get back to helping his teammates win and to getting them back to .500.
"I'm gonna embrace the brace," Daniels said. "Go out there and be the best version of myself."
Daniels was a limited participant throughout last week's practices. Aside from the brace that he wore on his left arm, Daniels looked normal going through drills and making throws. There was even an outside shot that Daniels would be able to play in the game that Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, but the Commanders ultimately decided to give him another week to recover. Head coach Dan Quinn said Friday that he would get a full week of work once the team got back from London and added on Monday that the goal is for him to start.
"We won't put him out there before he's ready," Quinn said. "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 took another step in that process on Wednesday, and once again, he looked like himself on the field. He was still wearing the brace — Quinn said he would wear it for the remainder of the season — although it appeared to be covered by a sleeve.
Daniels' protection has been the priority since he dislocated his non-throwing elbow for the second time in a calendar year. His brace does not fully extend, which is supposed to prevent him from reinjuring himself. It's also something Quinn has discussed with the quarterback. Daniels knows to slide — he did more of that prior to his injury — and throw the ball away, but in a group, Quinn has emphasized clasping the ball and rolling to the ground.
"Those are just some practice drills that we will be doing today," Quinn said. "It's definitely something we've talked about. We're gonna practice it. This is him moving forward and how we'll play."
Daniels admitted last week that he felt some frustration when he injured himself in the same way as he did last season. The other frustrating part was that Daniels was playing well prior to the injury. Although his completion rate sits at just under 57%, Daniels had three touchdowns with zero turnovers. He was starting to get into a rhythm near the end of the first half against the Dallas Cowboys with 165 yards of offense.
Daniels is "super confident" he can get back up to speed.
"Just putting in the countless hours of work and preparation," Daniels said. "Just go out there and give myself the best opportunity to perform to the best of my ability on Sunday."
Daniels knows what's at stake with his team sitting at 1-3. The Commanders have another matchup against a division opponent this weekend, and a win would give the team a boost on multiple levels, from getting their first NFC East win to improving their record to 2-3. The Commanders have their best chance to win with Daniels on the field, and after consulting with multiple specialists, he feels he is healthy enough to play.
"It's my non-throwing arm, so I think as long as I got the right one to attack, I think I'll be all right," Daniels said.
