Jayden Daniels’ injury update; Dan Quinn explains Commanders decision

It could have been worse — but many are questioning why it happened at all.

The X-rays on Jayden Daniels’ elbow came back negative after the Commanders star quarterback suffered a gruesome injury near the end of Washington’s 38-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.

Daniels dislocated his elbow on the play and Rapoport previously reported that Daniels would also require an MRI exam that will determine how much time he will miss.

“The belief is it’s not as bad as it could’ve been. But Daniels will miss several games,” Rapoport noted on Sunday night.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn has come under heavy scrutiny for his decision to have Daniels in a game that was long decided.

The injury came with Washington trailing 38-7 and at Seattle’s 2-yard line about halfway through the fourth quarter.

Daniels ran out to the right and was flung to the ground by the Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas and video showed the awkward way in which he fell.

Quinn said the idea was not to have Daniels running the ball in that situation.

“The hindsight, you don’t want to think that way, where injury could take place,” Quinn told reporters after the 38-14 loss. “You’re more conservative in that spot, running and handoffs and not have reads to go.”

Daniels had already missed three games this season with knee and hamstring injuries. After a dream rookie season in which he led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, concerns about the running quarterback’s long-term ability to stay healthy given his wiry frame have come front and center in his sophomore campaign.

“Obviously, I’m just gutted by it, just bummed,” Quinn said. “The one he was injured on is usually a run or a throw to the flat — it’s not a scramble. So, it wasn’t a designed read or play into that spot. If we run it 50 times, it’s either hand off or a throw 50 times. So, it’s a bummer, man — in a big way.”

Quinn was asked how they could handle Daniels differently once he returns from the injury.

“I think the answer to that is we will give him the support to do that,” Quinn said. “I am certain of that — to make sure we do that in every single way. That’s calls, offense, defense — the whole way through, man. I absolutely feel that way. The hamstring injury and (Sunday night) with an elbow — yeah, it’s really important we get that part right. And we will.”

The Commanders now sit at 3-6 in a stacked NFC with the playoffs looking unlikely. Barring a trade before Tuesday’s deadline, the team will hand the offense over to veteran Marcus Mariota starting Sunday against the Lions.

Mariota has completed 56-of-88 passes with four touchdowns and four interceptions thus far this season.