Commanders going down to wire preserving hopes of Jayden Daniels-Caleb Williams showdown

The Washington Commanders are giving rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels every possible chance to suit up for their Week 8 clash with the Chicago Bears.

Daniels suffered a rib injury in Washington's 40-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers that forced him out of the game early in the second quarter. After trying to return to the field on the ensuing drive in obvious pain, he headed to the locker room. Shortly after, the 2024 No. 2 NFL Draft pick was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

Thankfully, the issue doesn't appear to be serious. Nonetheless, Daniels' status against the Bears is up in the air. But with a potentially thrilling matchup versus Chicago and this year's first overall selection, Caleb Williams, Washington is taking his availability to the eleventh hour.

Commanders going down to wire preserving hopes of Jayden Daniels-Caleb Williams showdown

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Commanders have listed Daniels as questionable for their showdown with the Bears. Moreover, the dual-threat signal-caller will participate in the team's walk-through session on Saturday, attend meetings and receive treatment for his rib cartilage ailment. Speaking with reporters Friday, Washington head coach Dan Quinn said the goal is to maximize his reps in the casual training sessions.

Despite not participating in Washington's first two practices of the week, Daniels did enough to earn a limited tag on Friday. While that doesn't assure he'll play, it's a step in the right direction, at the very least. The Commanders elected not to elevate a quarterback from the practice squad before the looming battle with Chicago, which also bodes well for his outlook.

Hopefully, Daniels is good to go. The meeting between him and Williams has been highly anticipated. Excitement levels are through the roof — to the point where the league flexed the match to the late afternoon window of the upcoming slate.

Intriguing storylines aside, the outcome of the Commanders-Bears duel could considerably impact the conference playoff picture. Washington is 5-2 and in first place in the NFC East, though the Philadelphia Eagles aren't far behind. Conversely, Chicago is in last place in a stacked NFC North division despite being 4-2, so they need every win they can get.