Daniels avoids surgery and IR after second elbow dislocation

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not require surgery on his dislocated left elbow and has not been placed on injured reserve, general manager Adam Peters confirmed on Friday, according to Yahoo Sports.

Peters made the comments during his regular Friday appearance on 106.7 The Fan, saying the club was still working through the next steps in Daniels' recovery. "So now it's just a matter of sitting down and thinking about what the best course of action is," he said.

He added: "As of right now, surgery is not on the table and we haven't discussed IR. So, it's just a matter of how we're going to get him back on the field, and that's still to be determined."

The decision to keep Daniels off injured reserve suggests the Commanders anticipate a turnaround shorter than the four-week minimum an IR stint would require, Yahoo Sports reports.

Reporting from Adam Schefter cited by Yahoo Sports indicates that after imaging was reviewed and outside specialists consulted, the medical consensus is that Daniels will be considered week-to-week rather than facing a set recovery timeline.

Mariota steps in against Seattle

With Daniels sidelined, Marcus Mariota has been named starter for Sunday's home opener against the Seattle Seahawks, with seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis serving as backup.

Peters also flagged doubts over several other players for Sunday. Right guard Sam Cosmi (concussion), tight end Chig Okonkwo (hamstring) and linebacker Frankie Luvu (groin) are considered unlikely to play, while defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (shoulder/back) is said to be improving, with his participation in practice being monitored.

This is the second time Daniels has dislocated the elbow, having originally suffered the injury last season before reaggravating it, and it comes after he already missed time this year with a knee problem that cost him two weeks and a hamstring issue that ruled him out for one game, according to Yahoo Sports. Across his time with Washington, he has completed only four full games since last season began, exiting four others early.

Through the opening six quarters of this campaign, Daniels had completed close to 57 percent of his passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns through the air, adding 100 yards on the ground, figures Yahoo Sports notes made him arguably the standout performer in an otherwise struggling offense before the injury.

The return timetable and medical outlook

Whether Daniels is ready to return for Washington's Week 4 fixture against the Indianapolis Colts in London, or waits until the Week 5 home game against the New York Giants, remains unclear, per Yahoo Sports.

Medical opinion on the injury's outlook is mixed. Yahoo Sports cites a source close to the situation saying surgery was never recommended after Daniels' first dislocation, noting that operating after an initial injury is rare given a roughly 2 percent chance of recurrence. Head coach Dan Quinn reportedly confirmed that surgery was again not advised this time after consultation with outside specialists.

However, Dr. Marc Kowalsky, an orthopedic surgeon with ONS in Connecticut who specialises in elbow and shoulder injuries, told Yahoo Sports that the odds of a further dislocation rise even with a protective brace. Should it recur, Kowalsky said, Daniels could require reconstructive surgery and a recovery period of at least six months.

Daniels is expected to wear a brace again once he returns, as he did following his first dislocation last season in Week 14 — an outing that ended with the elbow reinjured as he attempted a tackle after throwing an interception. Yahoo Sports notes Daniels, listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, added between eight and ten pounds of muscle over the offseason.

Washington's next test comes Sunday at home against Seattle, with Mariota under centre as the Commanders wait for clarity on when their franchise quarterback can retake the field.