Jayden Daniels missed Washington Commanders practice again on Friday in a huge blow to his chances of playing on Sunday.
Daniels is yet to practice since sustaining a rib injury in last week’s victory over the Carolina Panthers.
It means he is now unlikely to play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, with backup Marcus Mariota expected to start.
The game against the Bears would have seen Daniels, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, go up against the No. 1 overall pick – Caleb Williams.
Williams against Daniels would make this just the sixth time in the league’s common draft era that began in 1967 that QBs taken first and second have faced off the season after getting drafted.
Head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday that he would update Daniels’ situation after practice on Friday.
Daniels, 23, was hurt on the Commanders’ first offensive play, his 46-yard run, in a 40-7 win over the visiting Panthers.
He stayed in the game and the drive ended in a field goal before veteran Mariota relieved him as Washington improved to 5-2.
Daniels, who was selected second overall out of LSU, has six touchdown passes and four rushing TDs this season, leading the league with a 75.6 completion percentage and is sixth in the NFL in passer rating at 107.0.
He has thrown for 1,410 yards and rushed for 372 in starting all seven games.
Mariota, 30, was 18-of-23 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns after replacing Daniels against the Panthers.
Williams is playing his first professional game in the area where he grew up, living in the District of Columbia as well as locations in suburban Maryland. He said he needed all of his allotted tickets.
‘Since I left high school, I haven’t been back other than, I think, one or two times,’ Williams said.
‘Being able to go back and share that experience, it’s going to be great. It’s going to be fun. To come out with the win is going to be most important.’
