Can Commanders QB Jayden Daniels ‘Find That Balance’ to Limit Risk, Reap Reward?

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Ralph Vacchiano

NFL Reporter

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ASHBURN, Va. — The hit that took out Jayden Daniels three weeks ago didn’t look all that dangerous. He dropped back to pass, got flushed from the pocket, ran to his left, and got clipped on his left knee as he tried to pick up a few extra yards.

When he got up with a slight limp, there was no indication that he’d miss the next two weeks due to a knee sprain. In fact, he never even left the game against the Green Bay Packers. But the play turned out to be a reminder for everyone of the two sides of the Commanders’ impressive franchise quarterback.

He has a huge potential for greatness, a dynamic ability to create plays seemingly out of nothing. But that potential comes with a huge potential risk: The 24-year-old Daniels will admittedly do anything to make a big play.

But the cost might be unavoidable. Sometimes there may be a price to pay.

Jayden Daniels sprained his left knee against the Packers in Week 2 when he got upended while scrambling for some extra yards. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images) <!–>

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“You find that balance,” Daniels insisted on Wednesday afternoon after he returned to practice. “Obviously, you want to be able to be available for the rest of the games. You’ve got to be smart, and that’s kind of what we talked about. Just live to see another down.

“But just know if the game is on the line, I’m going to do whatever it takes to win.”

That is what the Commanders both love and fear about their spectacular second-year quarterback. At his best, Daniels is one of the most dynamic players in the league. He’s as much of a threat with his right arm as he is with his legs.

But his willingness to do anything, especially outside of the pocket, can be dangerous for a quarterback who is essentially a sitting duck for opposing defenses when he’s on the run. Daniels was forced to play through fractured ribs for several games during his spectacular rookie season. And who knows how many more games he’ll be affected by the current injury to his knee?

Daniels is expected to return on Sunday when the Commanders (2-2) face the Chargers (3-1) in Los Angeles (4:25 p.m. ET on FOX). And even his return to practice on Wednesday was enough to give the sagging Commanders an emotional lift. 

“It was definitely all smiles today to see 5 back out there, just getting in a groove with the offense,” said rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. “We’re all definitely excited for him.”

They’re excited to see him back to his usual self on game day, too. But his style, his willingness to run, and his penchant for creating off-schedule plays as he avoids the pass rush makes it feel constantly like his next injury could just be one hit, one misstep away.

And there’s not a lot the Commanders can do about it either. Daniels is their most dynamic, most explosive weapon. They can’t afford to, nor do they want to, pull back too hard on his reins.

“I think that’s really why we were overly cautious with him,” said Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. “We didn’t want to put him out there until he can be Jayden. That’s what he’s going to be. That’s how he’s going to play.”

To be fair, it’s not as if Daniels, though slightly built at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, has been an injury risk throughout his college career and into the NFL. For the most part, he has been fairly healthy — at least healthy enough not to miss many games. He sprained an ankle in the 2022 SEC Championship Game when he was sacked by Georgia’s Jalen Carter, but he bounced back to play in LSU’s bowl game that season. And in a 2023 game against Alabama, he was knocked out with a concussion, only to return one week later to throw for 372 yards and run for 234 in a spectacular performance against Florida.

Even last season, his first in the NFL, he didn’t miss any time after suffering broken ribs at the end of a 46-yard run in a Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers. The next week, in fact, he capped an 18-15 win over the Chicago Bears with his play of the year — a 52-yard Hail Mary with no time left on the clock.

So his injuries so far have been more of a nuisance than a catastrophe. But it still feels like the Commanders are playing with fire with the one player they simply can’t afford to lose.

“Jayden’s a unique talent,” Kingsbury said. “The way he plays, moves, throws, he’s generational. So any time you get him back out there, it’s going to lift up your team.”

Added running back Jeremy McNichols: “Five can make a play at any moment. We know that. He’s explosive. He can take it the distance. Whatever it takes. He’s got that kick-ass competitor in him. It’s that aura. We all feel it throughout that organization and on the field.”

So how can they keep Daniels on the field? That’s the big question hovering over everyone. Washington was 1-1 in his short absence, with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota leading the way, but the offense clearly was missing Daniels’ spark. The Commanders want that back as much as Daniels can give it, but they don’t want to risk losing him again.

He says he can find a “balance.” But can that really be done?

“Yeah, I think you can,” said Commanders coach Dan Quinn. “Not necessarily [in] the calling of the game. But I had said it a few weeks ago: The only thing worse than missing games is not taking the lessons from there. As a scramble goes, when do I get down? When do I get out of bounds?”

“It’s instinctive,” Kingsbury added. “Guys like him and Kyler [Murray, whom Kingsbury coached in Arizona], they played that way their entire life. They know how to protect themselves. They know where to find the soft spot.”

Still, it can be a process. Daniels might be limited on Sunday against the Chargers, especially with a bulky brace on his knee. “I’m not the biggest fan of it,” he said, “but if that’s what I have to wear, then I’ll do anything possible to play.” But otherwise, the Commanders don’t have any long-term plans to limit his creativity just to keep him better protected. 

And why would they? One year ago, his explosive style and ability to create plays on the run led them all the way to the NFC Championship Game — Washington’s first trip there in 33 years. Daniels finished the season with 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions, plus 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. That was good enough to get him MVP votes and win him the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Commanders loved that version of Daniels, risks be damned. But there are still things they can do to help him mitigate any potential damage. When he’s outside the pocket, they want him to run and scramble smarter. Pick his spots. Slide when he can. Swerve to avoid the big hit. Get to the sidelines. Do his best to keep himself out of trouble.

“Those are some things: Where do you grow?” Quinn said. “When do you take your shot? When do you not? Those are the lessons you want somebody to learn at quarterback, and I certainly fully expect him to do that. That’s the type of competitor he is.”

Can Daniels really learn those lessons and preserve his body while being as explosive as ever? It was hard to tell through the first two games of the season, when he got off to a slow start (433 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and just 18 rushes for 85 yards). Daniels said he can. But in the next breath, he also admitted he’s willing to take a risk. He even said he would’ve been ready to push his body and play two weeks ago if Washington’s medical team hadn’t stepped in and forced him to sit out. 

He seems to only know one style of play, which served him well at Arizona State, LSU, and in the NFL, too. It’s also proven to be exactly what the Commanders need.

“He’s explosive,” McNichols said. “And explosive plays are everything. They bring energy. They bring juice.

“We know what Jayden can do back there and what he provides. We’re all excited to have him back there showing the world what he can do.”

The key is to find a way for Daniels to keep showing it every game in every season. He’s a danger to opposing defenses. The Commanders just have to find a way to make sure he’s not a danger to himself.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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