Commanders’ Daniels ‘week-to-week’ with rib injury, could return Sunday against Bears

Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is “week-to-week” with a rib injury, coach Dan Quinn told reporters Monday. Team officials will closely monitor him throughout the week before determining whether or not he’ll play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Quinn refused to specify the nature of his quarterback’s injury, dodging questions about whether Daniels’ rib was broken or bruised. He noted that the injury is not expected to be a long-term issue.

“We’ll take him through all the steps at practice and assess how he’s doing,” Quinn said. “We’re hopeful he can play, but we’ll also make sure to take every precautionary step to do it smartly for the player and for the man.”

Daniels suffered the injury on the first play from scrimmage during Sunday’s 40-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Washington’s dynamic quarterback kept the ball on an option, sprinting 46 yards downfield before Carolina defenders took him down.

Daniels finished the drive, adding four more rushing yards and six passing yards before the Commanders kicked a field goal.

Medical staff evaluated him after he gingerly walked off the field, ultimately taking him to the locker room and sidelining him for the rest of the game.

Despite Daniels’ notoriously slim frame, Quinn stressed that the injury was caused by an awkward tackle, not the quarterback’s sometimes reckless running style.

“He was trying to go score. As he was getting down the field, I thought from a design standpoint it was good. He just fell awkwardly on it,” Quinn said, noting that the offense won’t shy away from calling quarterback runs. “It was not a function of running in the A-gap and getting hit by a defensive tackle.”

Quinn also said that Daniels, who likely would’ve returned to the game if allowed, will not look to wear a flak jacket on increased padding when he returns to the field.

With their star rookie stuck on the bench, the Commanders turned to journeyman Marcus Mariota to lead the offense on Sunday. The No. 2 pick in the 2014 draft shined, throwing for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the blowout win.

The 30-year-old flashed his speed, regularly evading Panthers pass rushers to find receivers open down the field. The offense didn’t miss a beat, scoring on six of seven drives before a kneel-down to end the game.

“We hate that these types of injuries happen, God forbid then when they do, you want to make sure you’re absolutely ready to deliver in that space. Marcus is that type of player,” Quinn said. “For him to step into that space, it was an important win.”

The win boosted the Commanders to 5-2 on the season, putting them squarely atop the NFC East.

Despite the injury frustrations, Daniels flashed smiles on the sidelines Sunday and brought the same energy to the team’s Ashburn practice facility on Monday morning.

“That’s really how he’s wired,” Quinn said, noting that the rookie will almost certainly lobby the coaches to let him play on Sunday.

Through seven games, Daniels established himself as a clear front-runner in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner leads the league in completion percentage, throwing for 1,410 yards, rushing for 372 and recording 10 total touchdowns.

“He’s such a unique player that I want to make sure he can be him fully in his own way,” Quinn said as he weighed the rookie’s status. “I know he’ll do everything he can, but I’ll trust my eyes.”

If Daniels returns to action Sunday, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft would square off against the top pick in Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.

The highly anticipated matchup of 5-2 teams kicks off at 4:25 p.m. Sunday at Northwest Stadium.