Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels returned to practice Wednesday in a limited capacity, his first action since dislocating his left elbow in Week 2.
Daniels, 25, participated in a 60-minute walk-through practice after the team arrived in Hertfordshire, England, to prepare for Sunday’s Week 4 game against the Indianapolis Colts at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“We won’t put him out there before he’s ready,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “That’s why it’s important to trust the process. But him being back on the field, that’s a good step for us.”
Daniels left the Commanders’ 37-20 road loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 20 after sustaining the gruesome injury on the final play of the first half.
Sidelined last Sunday, Daniels watched as backup Marcus Mariota threw for 183 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-31 home upset of the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.
Mariota will start for the Commanders (1-2) against the Colts (1-2) if Daniels is unable to play. Daniels missed five weeks after enduring the same injury last season.
Quinn said Daniels will get more reps as the week progresses and his potential return will depend on “the functionality and strength, the pain tolerance for him. He already has a high one.”
Daniels was wearing a black brace on his elbow on Wednesday, extra protection he intends to use for the remainder of the season, according to ESPN.
“His drive is always strong to return to play,” Quinn said. “Any athlete would probably tell you when you’re going through something a second time there’s a known entity of what the road looks like. We all feel that way. He does know what that process looks like and the mobility and the strength. There’s a known entity of when you’re ready.”
Daniels has completed 56.9% of his passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns in two games this season. He also has rushed for 100 yards on 12 carries.
