Commanders’ Jayden Daniels will practice this week but will he play?

The Washington Commanders' 2025 season never materialized into what they had hoped entering the season, and then it got worse with franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels going down with a gruesome injury late in their lopsided Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow, but fortunately avoided any major damage, lining him up for a potential return in 2025.

Just three weeks later, and coming out of their bye week, it appears that the Commanders will be getting their star signal caller back into the fold as he returns to practice ahead of the team's matchup with the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football. Despite his return to the field, however, it does not look like Daniels will be seeing game action.

Daniels not quite ready for game action

Nov 2, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

#Commanders QB Jayden Daniels was evaluated coming out of Washington’s bye and sources say this Sunday’s game against the #Broncos is a long-shot.

But Daniels will return to practice this week. Progress from his dislocated elbow. pic.twitter.com/XEj2LRgj7j
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 24, 2025

Daniels won't be returning against the Broncos, but he could still make a return to the gridiron before the end of the regular season.

Head coach Dan Quinn has said as much, and also clarified that, although Daniels is returning to practice just three weeks after such a horrific injury, he is not yet cleared for contact.

There has been much talk surrounding whether or not Quinn and the team should bring Daniels back at all in a season that is all but lost. The Commanders have no shot at making the playoffs at 3-8 and second to last in the NFC East, so it could be seen as wise for the team to be cautious with who they see as their quarterback of now and the future.

While that case can be made for several reasons, the case can also be made that it would be good to get him back on the field at the end of the season to hopefully allow their young quarterback to help bring some life into the team as they head into an important offseason.

With six games still on the docket, I would imagine Daniels to return at some point in the relative future. The Commanders have been dealt the injury card at the poker table in 2025, but they are slowly starting to get some guys back. It won't be the best result this season, but there absolutely could be some highlights if they can finish the season with some momentum.

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