Hogs Haven
Washington Post (paywall)
The second-year quarterback, recovering from a dislocated elbow, has not yet been cleared for contact and is not expected to play against Denver on Sunday night.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will return to practice this week but is unlikely to play against the Denver Broncos, Coach Dan Quinn said Monday.
Quinn said Daniels already has been cleared to return to the practice field, just three-plus weeks after he dislocated his left elbow in a Nov. 2 loss to Seattle. But the quarterback has not been cleared to absorb contact, which is a necessary precursor to him playing in a game.
Assuming he does not play Sunday, Daniels could return as soon as Dec. 7 at Minnesota or Dec. 14 against the New York Giants.
With Daniels sidelined, the Commanders have continued losing; their six-game skid has left them with minuscule odds of returning to the playoffs. Together, those developments have sparked a debate among fans about whether Daniels should play again this season, even if healthy.
Some have argued that the team should effectively punt on 2025 and preserve Daniels’s health for 2026. Others believe that sitting Daniels would run counter to the competitive culture that Quinn has sought to instill. Quinn said team brass did not consider shutting down Daniels.
ESPN
Quinn said they did not discuss internally shutting Daniels down for the season. At the time of the injury Washington fell to 3-6. The Commanders are now 3-8 heading into Sunday’s matchup vs. Denver (9-2) but have lost six consecutive games.
Quinn said he’s still not sure when Daniels will return.
“It’s important that Jayden’s getting going, learning to play this position at the highest level competitively,” Quinn said. “Also doing it safely. Those are reps that you develop as well. It’s a skill just like throwing and processing. All those things are important.”
If Daniels returns, it would help him to have a full complement of receivers. Washington opened the 21-day window for receiver Noah Brown, who has not played since Week 2 because of a groin injury. He missed most of training camp with groin and knee issues.
Terry McLaurin, who has missed seven of the past eight games because of a quad injury, could return soon though Quinn said he’s not yet sure when that might happen. McLaurin accompanied the team to Madrid, Spain to continue his on-field rehab work.
The Athletic (paywall)
Receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown, safety Will Harris and defensive end Drake Jackson also participated in Monday’s jog-through and continue to make progress in their recoveries.
For McLaurin and Brown, it was the first time they had done any on-field work with the team since their latest stints in recovery. McLaurin suffered a quad...
