Jayden Daniels is expected to start for the Washington Commanders on Sunday against the Giants, even as word spreads around the league that some doctors doubt his surgically repaired left elbow will hold up for good.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday, citing sources, that “there are doctors around the NFL who believe it’s a matter of when, not if, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels hurts his left elbow again.”
Daniels, 25, has sat out Washington’s last two games after dislocating the elbow for the second time in his career during a Week 2 loss to the Cowboys. He traveled to Los Angeles and New York to see specialists before being cleared to return to the field, provided he wears a protective brace.
According to the ESPN report, doctors around the league who have not examined Daniels personally still believe a player who has dislocated the same elbow twice in 11 months faces an elevated risk of it happening again.
Daniels took part in every practice this week, and offensive coordinator David Blough called him “a full go” on Thursday. He’ll have rookie Athan Kaliakmanis as his backup Sunday, since veteran Marcus Mariota is out with a knee injury.
Daniels addressed the brace directly earlier in the week.
“I’m going to embrace the brace. Just trying to get used to it, it’s kind of part of me now. For the time being, as long as I’m on that field. Just getting used to it, trying to find the different ways where it’s most comfortable and I’m not really just thinking about it, I’m out there playing.”
Blough said the brace won’t force any changes to the Commanders’ gameplan this week, noting Daniels can still take snaps and execute hand-offs normally while wearing it.
Washington will also be without wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who is out with a hamstring injury, while Terry McLaurin is questionable with a hamstring issue of his own.
