Commanders QB Jayden Daniels misses practice with rib injury

ASHBURN — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels missed practice Wednesday as he continues to recover from a rib injury, coach Dan Quinn said. 

Quinn said the dynamic rookie is preparing as though he’ll start on Sunday, attending practices and walkthroughs when he isn’t receiving treatment from the team’s medical staff. The Commanders coach plans to provide an update about Daniels’ status on Friday. 

“At practice is probably the biggest thing. We want to make sure he can fully express himself and do all the things that he does, which makes him so unique and special,” Quinn said. “That’ll be the key going through the week, that he can be him, fully turned up.”

Minus the practice absences and aching midsection, the rookie’s routine will be unchanged this week. He’s still flashing a million-dollar smile around the team’s facility and using a virtual reality headset to prepare for opposing defenses. 

“He came out strong. Knowing him, [he’s] chomping at the bit to get going,” Quinn said. “For him, the attitude’s been fantastic, just like you’d expect him to be. He’s doing well.”

The ever-competitive Daniels doesn’t need any extra motivation to get back on the field as soon as possible. It’s hard to imagine that this week’s matchup, which could see the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft square off against top selection Caleb Williams and the 4-2 Chicago Bears, isn’t front of mind during his recovery. 

Daniels suffered the rib injury on his first play from scrimmage during Sunday’s 40-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Washington’s dual-threat quarterback kept the ball on an option, sprinting 46 yards downfield before Carolina defenders took him down, awkwardly contorting his torso in the process. 

He left the game after the first drive, with journeyman quarterback Marcus Mariota filling in for the rest of the day.

If Daniels can’t play on Sunday, Mariota will earn his first start for the 5-2 Commanders. 

That proposition doesn’t worry Washington coaches — the backup signal-caller had his best game in years on Sunday, dissecting Carolina’s defense for 205 yards and two touchdowns through the air. The 30-year-old even showed off some speed, evading pass rushers and rushing for 34 yards.

“Just to get the opportunity to play was fun, was exciting,” Mariota said. “Throughout my career, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect, and I think I play my best when I’m having fun, so that’s how I’ll approach it.”

Jeff Driskel would likely serve as Mariota’s backup. Washington’s third-string quarterback earned a 1-11 record through sporadic starts with the Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns since joining the league in 2016. 

Mariota and Driskel are both athletic passers, though neither can match the showstopping speed of their rookie counterpart. Anyone taking snaps for the Commanders will be expected to operate the same offense, from the designed runs to the deep passes.

“The system doesn’t change,” Quinn said Monday. “Now if all of them were in, we wouldn’t call it exactly the same way. If any of us had a playbook, we would feature it a little bit differently with each quarterback. But by and large, it’s mostly the same.”

But offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is not obtuse, he’ll listen to the kinds of plays and concepts that his quarterback prefers. If Mariota doesn’t feel comfortable with a play, Kingsbury won’t call it on Sunday.

“That gives whoever is playing the ultimate confidence to just go out there and play because he’s going to call a game,” Mariota said. “I really believe that’s how it was on Sunday. He had such a good feel of what I liked and just let me play.”

Sunday’s game against the Bears, whether Daniels plays or not, is already drawing increased media attention. The NFL moved the game from 1 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. to show the matchup at Northwest Stadium to a national TV audience.