Jayden Daniels expected to practice in full ahead of possible Week 5 return

Jayden Daniels, the quarterback for the Washington Commanders, is anticipated to resume practicing at full capacity following his recent dislocated elbow injury. According to a report from John Keim on October 7, 2026, Daniels was observed throwing on Wednesday and is set to be a full participant in practice ahead of a potential Week 5 return against the New York Giants.

Daniels' return appears to be on schedule, as he had managed to put in limited practice sessions each day despite his injury. However, his absence became evident during the Commanders' Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts in London, where he was ruled out due to the injury. The situation worsened when backup quarterback Marcus Mariota also left the game with a knee injury, which is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks.

With Daniels out for both games, third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis filled in for the team. Although Kaliakmanis managed to throw an NFL touchdown during his brief stint, he was unable to lead the team to victory in a 30-13 loss.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn had expressed the hope that Daniels would return against the Giants in Week 5. This sentiment was reiterated the following day when Quinn confirmed that Daniels would receive ample practice reps and start in Week 5. The coach noted that Daniels had initially wished to play in Week 4, but the team opted for caution instead.

Similar circumstances were reported regarding wideout Terry McLaurin, who is also expected to return to action in Week 5. However, McLaurin was observed working off to the side during Wednesday's practice sessions. With Daniels back in the lineup, the Commanders are now in a more optimistic position as they look to overcome their 1-3 start to the season. The team will, however, need to monitor Daniels closely to ensure he avoids a repeat of the injury he experienced last year, which forced him to leave his first game back.