Jeremy Fowler gives major Jayden Daniels update ahead of Falcons vs. Commanders Week 4 clash

The Washington Commanders will be without quarterback Jayden Daniels for a second consecutive game as he is set to miss that Week 4 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

Daniels injured his ankle during the Week 2 loss against the Green Bay Packers and was diagnosed with a sprained ankle. Backup Marcus Mariota, who filled in for Daniels in the Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, will be continuing in the role on Sunday.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler provided an update on Daniels' recovery. He said that the Commanders quarterback pushed for a start against the Falcons but mobility remains an issue for him. He is expected to return for the Week 5 clash against the Los Angeles Chargers.

“He’s got a chance for Week 5 against the Chargers,” Fowler said. “They feel like in Washington, he’s trending in the right direction here. This wasn’t quite clear on the knee issue. Part of this is a mobility factor. This is a true dual threat quarterback … They want to make sure that he can do everything he needs.

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“So he did get close. He was pushing to play this week, practiced two days. Didn’t quite get there. The question is, when Daniels comes back, does he have Terry McLaurin? That’s an issue right now because he’s week to week, not expected to go on injured reserve, but it is still unclear when he’s going to be back.”

While Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin are out of the Week 4 clash, Mariota will be looking to capitalize on the chance to impress against his former team.

Commanders HC not taking any risks with Jayden Daniels' injury

Jayden Daniels is on the mend and was potentially in line for a return against the Falcons, however, Commanders coach Dan Quinn decided against taking any risks despite Daniels' eagerness.

"We kind of lean into the medical side on that. For him, I’m not surprised that’s the response. Also, from the work that he’s putting in," Quinn said. "I’m not surprised that he would say man, like I am feeling good and feeling ready, but it feels like it’s around the clock he’s been ready to put all the work in that he needs to.”

Marcus Mariota's start in Week 3 was his first since 2022, and the former Heisman winner relished the opportunity. He completed 15 of his 21 attempts for 207 passing yards and a touchdown.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash