Bear Digest

Report: Bears Likely to Face Commanders QB Jayden Daniels

According to a report Sunday by ESPN's Adam Schefter, the likely QB for the Washington Commanders appears to be Jayden Daniels despite a rib injury.

Gene Chamberlain

Jayden Daniels, Commanders quarterback and No. 2 pick in the draft, will likely face the Bears, says ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Jayden Daniels, Commanders quarterback and No. 2 pick in the draft, will likely face the Bears, says ESPN's Adam Schefter. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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The battle between No. 1 and No. 2 appears to be back on for now, if ESPN's Adam Schefter is correct.

Citing an unnamed team official, Schefter on Sunday reported all signs point to Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels playing Sunday at 3:25 p.m. against the Bears.

Daniels, the second-pick of this year's draft, then would get the chance to face the No. 1 pick, Bears QB Caleb Williams.

Schefter quoted the team official as saying of Daniels: "He's one tough-ass dude."

Daniels suffered a rib injury and left last week's Washington win over Carolina after 10 plays. He didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday, and then on Friday went through a practice characterized by coach Dan Quinn as intense. Quinn told Washington reporters Daniels "really pushed it" in practice.

However, when the team injury report came out Daniels was listed questionable and he had only gone through a limited practice.

Normally, limited practices are the individual skills portion of practices and stretching, and sometimes a small amount of team plays if any.

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So the gamesmanship appeared to be on, but if Daniels is playing it represents a significant upgrade in athletic skill and a problem for the Bears in open-field running situations. Daniels also has the highest completion percentage in the league at 75.6% The combination of accurate passing and Daniels' 372 yards rushing on 66 scrambles has helped Washington lead the NFL in possession time. His passer rating is 107.0.

Daniels is 127 of 168 for 1,410 yards with six TD passes and two interceptions.

Williams, the first pick, is 130 of 199 for 1,317 yards with nine touchdown passes and five interceptions for a passer rating of 88.7.

The Bears defense has maintained it doesn't matter whether it's Daniels or veteran Marcus Mariota playing against them. Although very mobile, Mariota isn't the breakaway running threat Daniels is. Last week, in leading a win, Mariota ran 11 times for only 34 yards.

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"I don't care, honestly," Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat said. "Both of them are good on their legs and both of them can throw the ball outside of the pocket, so it won’t make a difference."

Sweat saw something about Daniels on film, though.

"I do notice he likes to get out to the right and throw, actually likes to pass while he runs," Sweat said. "But I feel like he's a very dynamic guy. He can go to both sides and throw the ball. But yeah, he's just a good QB."

The Bears have given up 78 yards rushing to quarterbacks in six games, 58 on scrambles according to NFLGSIS.com.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.