ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels continued on a path that is expected to result in him playing Sunday against the New York Giants, only three weeks after he dislocated his elbow.
Daniels was a full participant in practice, as coach Dan Quinn said he would be all week with the idea that he'll play when the Commanders (1-3) face the Giants (3-1).
Daniels said he knew he was ready to return after being a limited participant in practice when the team trained in London ahead of a loss to the Colts.
"I felt good," Daniels said, adding that practicing allowed him to "give myself opportunities to go out there and play on Sunday."
Daniels will have to wear a brace on his left elbow the rest of the season.
"I'm going to embrace the brace, not worry about it too much," Daniels said. "It's my non-throwing arm, so, I think as long as I got the right one to attack, I'll be all right."
His return became even more important when his backup, Marcus Mariota, sprained his right medial collateral ligament. He's expected to miss the next two games and then return after the Week 7 bye.
Daniels will wear a brace that will keep his left elbow slightly bent, with the idea that it can prevent another dislocation.
"Just trying to get used to it," Daniels said. "It's just a part of me now, so, you know, for the time being, as long as I'm on that field, just getting used to it, trying to find the different ways where it's most comfortable and I'm not really just thinking about it. I'm just out there playing."
His return can provide a boost to a team that needs one.
"He gives us that spark, that extra juice knowing we've got our guy back there," tight end Chig Okonkwo said.
During the portion of practice open to the media, Daniels took snaps from center Lucas Patrick in warmups and threw with more zip than last week. In other drills, a coach, kneeling, would hand the ball to Daniels, who took it with both hands and would pitch it to a running back.
Daniels dislocated the elbow on the final play of the first half in a Week 2 loss at Dallas, when guard Chris Paul inadvertently stepped on Daniels' foot as he backed away from center on a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
As Daniels fell back, he planted his left arm on the ground to brace his fall; it then dislocated. After seeing multiple specialists, Daniels said he was "at peace" with his decision to play.
"I want to play football," he said.
But when asked if he'd run the same as in the past, he responded, "Is it the fourth quarter? If it's the fourth quarter, we've got to do something to win, right?"
He later said, "There's ways you could talk about different ways of protecting myself. But I don't, I don't get hit in practice, so I wouldn't know till Sunday."
Daniels initially dislocated the non-throwing elbow in Week 9 last season. He returned five weeks later and reaggravated it in a loss at Minnesota. He was shut down for the season following that game. Daniels is wearing a different brace than he had on for that Vikings game; during that game he could be seen adjusting it throughout.
He has not tinkered with the current one in practice as much as he did that day in Minnesota.
But the bigger part is keeping him healthy; Daniels has finished only five games since the start of the 2025 season. The Commanders have been pleased with how he has handled himself when on the run -- from sliding, running out of bounds or throwing the ball away when nothing is available.
Quinn said they would incorporate drills in practice to help him roll to the ground the way a running back would when clasping the ball. Against Minnesota, he reaggravated the injury after being blocked to the ground following an interception.
"It's definitely something we talk about," Quinn said of the best way for Daniels to protect himself. "We're going to practice it and this is him moving forward and how we'll play."