The second season of Jayden Daniels’ career began with sky-high expectations. After delivering what many considered one of the most electrifying rookie campaigns by a quarterback in NFL history, Daniels and the Washington Commanders entered 2025 intending to take the next big step forward.
Four weeks in, however, that momentum has begun to slow. Washington sits at 2-2, with Daniels sidelined for the past two games as the team navigates life without its dynamic signal-caller. The question now is what exactly happened to him and when will he be back under center?
Jayden Daniels Ready to Make Week 5 Return After Knee Sprain
Daniels started the season with a solid performance in Week 1 to register a win over the New York Giants. But his numbers dipped in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers, where he faced a ferocious defense and was sacked four times.
The hits took their toll, and Daniels was diagnosed with a knee sprain, ruling him out for Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Washington managed a win without him and hoped for his return in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons, but he was sidelined again, and the team fell in that contest.
Fortunately for the Commanders fans, though, the injury isn’t severe, and Daniels was a full participant in practice through Week 5. He is now set to return to action on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers and has confirmed that he plans to play.
Through his two games this season, Daniels completed 43 of 72 passes for 433 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions, while adding 85 rushing yards. He earned a PFSN QBi grade of 63.6, ranking 31st in the league. While these numbers fall short of his sensational rookie season, his presence as the starter is a welcome boost for Washington.
Marcus Mariota has held his end admirably well in Daniels’ absence, keeping the offense more than competitive despite throwing for only 363 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He has also rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown with the Commanders, combining for 68 points under his direction.
Though he has a smaller sample size than other QBs, Mariota still leads the NFL with 0.51 EPA per dropback under pressure and is ranked ninth in PFSN’s QBi metric. His 0.31 EPA per regular dropback also ranks first in the league, proving he is a reliable and capable backup.
With Daniels set to return, the Commanders can look forward to having their franchise quarterback back under center. How he blends back into the lineup and builds on his rookie success will be key as Washington aims to turn their 2-2 start into a strong playoff push.