Dapatkah komandan QB Jayden Daniels 'menemukan keseimbangan' untuk membatasi risiko, menuai hadiah?

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.

“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] Panggilan permainan. Tapi saya telah mengatakannya beberapa minggu yang lalu: satu -satunya hal yang lebih buruk daripada yang hilang adalah tidak mengambil pelajaran dari sana. Saat perebutan, kapan saya turun? Kapan saya keluar dari batas? “

“Ini naluriah,” tambah Kingsbury. “Orang -orang seperti dia dan Kyler [Murray, whom Kingsbury coached in Arizona]mereka bermain seperti itu sepanjang hidup mereka. Mereka tahu bagaimana melindungi diri mereka sendiri. Mereka tahu di mana menemukan titik lemah. “

Tetap saja, ini bisa menjadi proses. Daniels mungkin terbatas pada hari Minggu melawan Chargers, terutama dengan penyangga besar di lututnya. “Aku bukan penggemar terbesar itu,” katanya, “tetapi jika itu yang harus saya pakai, maka saya akan melakukan sesuatu yang mungkin untuk dimainkan.” Tetapi sebaliknya, para komandan tidak memiliki rencana jangka panjang untuk membatasi kreativitasnya hanya untuk membuatnya lebih terlindungi.

Dan kenapa mereka? Satu tahun yang lalu, gaya eksplosif dan kemampuannya untuk membuat permainan dalam pelarian memimpin mereka sampai ke pertandingan NFC Championship – perjalanan pertama Washington di sana dalam 33 tahun. Daniels menyelesaikan musim dengan 3.568 yard passing, 25 gol dan sembilan intersepsi, ditambah 891 yard dan enam gol di tanah. Itu cukup baik untuk membuatnya suara MVP dan memenangkannya penghargaan Ofensif Rookie of the Year NFL.

Para komandan menyukai versi Daniels itu, risiko terkutuk. Tetapi masih ada hal -hal yang dapat mereka lakukan untuk membantunya mengurangi potensi kerusakan. Ketika dia di luar saku, mereka ingin dia berlari dan berebut lebih pintar. Pilih tempatnya. Geser saat dia bisa. Berikan untuk menghindari pukulan besar. Dapatkan ke sela -sela. Lakukan yang terbaik untuk menjaga dirinya keluar dari masalah.

“Itu adalah beberapa hal: di mana Anda tumbuh?” Kata Quinn. “Kapan kamu mengambil kesempatan? Kapan tidak? Itu adalah pelajaran yang kamu ingin seseorang pelajari di quarterback, dan aku tentu saja berharap dia melakukan itu. Itulah tipe pesaing dia.”

Bisakah Daniels benar -benar mempelajari pelajaran -pelajaran itu dan melestarikan tubuhnya sambil menjadi eksplosif seperti biasa? Sulit untuk menceritakan melalui dua pertandingan pertama musim ini, ketika ia memulai dengan lambat (433 yard passing, tiga gol, tidak ada intersepsi, dan hanya 18 terburu -buru untuk 85 yard). Daniels berkata dia bisa. Tetapi dalam napas berikutnya, dia juga mengakui bahwa dia bersedia mengambil risiko. Dia bahkan mengatakan dia akan siap untuk mendorong tubuhnya dan bermain dua minggu lalu jika tim medis Washington tidak masuk dan memaksanya untuk duduk.

Dia tampaknya hanya tahu satu gaya permainan, yang melayani dia dengan baik di Arizona State, LSU, dan di NFL juga. Itu juga terbukti persis apa yang dibutuhkan komandan.

“Dia eksplosif,” kata McNichols. “Dan drama eksplosif adalah segalanya. Mereka membawa energi. Mereka membawa jus.

“Kita tahu apa yang bisa dilakukan Jayden di sana dan apa yang dia berikan. Kita semua senang membawanya ke sana menunjukkan kepada dunia apa yang bisa dia lakukan.”

Kuncinya adalah menemukan cara bagi Daniels untuk terus menunjukkannya setiap pertandingan di setiap musim. Dia berbahaya bagi pertahanan lawan. Para komandan hanya perlu menemukan cara untuk memastikan dia tidak berbahaya bagi dirinya sendiri.

Ralph Vacchiano adalah reporter NFL untuk Fox Sports. Dia menghabiskan enam tahun menutupi Raksasa Dan Jet Untuk SNY TV di New York, dan sebelum itu, 16 tahun meliput Giants dan NFL untuk New York Daily News. Ikuti dia di Twitter di @Ralphvacchiano.

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