Lee Corso, the legendary former ESPN college football analyst, warned fans and other on-screen talent for decades that they didn’t need to jump to conclusions; It would be wiser to go slower when reaching conclusions that we can often formulate too quickly.
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The same goes for Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. Anyone who assumes his return will be next week against the Vikings needs to slow down. You see, on Monday, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn stated that Daniels has not yet been cleared for contact. Daniels will continue to practice, getting some reps, but we don’t know how many yet.
Quinn also added that there likely won’t be a decision on Daniels’ return to the Vikings until Friday. I mean, why would commanders do something that their medical staff or trainers perceive as a risk? They are not 9-3, fighting for a playoff spot. Rather, given that they are 3-9, we should not naively rule out that the commanders’ track record has little bearing on this decision. Of course it is. What need is there to take Daniels out if that left arm is still tender and susceptible to injury?
The Commanders, of course, would like to see Daniels play some games down the stretch, but there’s certainly no need to rush. If Daniels didn’t play against the Vikings, that would mean there would still be one month of games (four) left on the schedule. Those games would be against NFC East rivals, the Eagles twice, the Cowboys and the Giants once.
In the meantime, let Marcus Mariota take the vast majority of the reps this week, allowing him to properly prepare for the Vikings. Why does Daniels remove representatives from Marota, until you know he has been authorized to contact?
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: What’s the latest on QB Jayden Daniels?