"He was definitely in trouble again”: Dan Quinn pokes fun at Jayden Daniels' "probation" over QB's serious injury risk
Jayden Daniels is one of the most exciting quarterback prospects to keep an eye on during the 2024 NFL season. He is a true dual-threat and his dynamic skillset is a big reason why he won the Heisman Trophy in his final college football season with the LSU Tigers.
The Washington Commanders are apparently all-in on their rookie after selecting him with the second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. New head coach Dan Quinn has consistently praised Daniels' abilities during the offseason so far, including at training camp in the preseason.
One potential issue that Quinn sees in Daniels' game is in his decision making when it comes to avoiding unnecessary contact. Quarterbacks usually learn to protect themselves as much as possible in the NFL, because any injury to players in this position can be absolutely detrimental to a team's overall outlook.
Quinn addressed this situation following the Commanders' recent preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. He was specifically referring to a play that Jayden Daniels scrambled to pick up 13 yards, and instead of either sliding or getting out of bounds, took a hit that he didn't need to take.
When discussing the play in a press conference after the game, Quinn jokingly said that his quarterback is now on "double secret probation" because "he was definitely in trouble again with the head coach."
After the play, Quinn was seen instructing Daniels to slide and get down in those situations rather than taking a hit and risking an injury from contact that could have been avoided.
While Jayden Daniels avoided serious injuries during his college football career, the NFL presents a bigger challenge. The defenses he will face are much bigger, faster and stronger than they were in college.
This is why Quinn wants his rookie to be smarter about avoiding any hits as much as possible, as he is expected to be the future of their franchise and any injuries can significantly hurt his early development.
Did Jayden Daniels have an injury history before joining Commanders?
Jayden Daniels spent five seasons in college football with the Arizona State Sun Devils and LSU Tigers before being drafted by the Washington Commanders. His dynamic rushing style is one that often results in more injuries than pocket passers, but he was impressively able to remain healthy for nearly his entire collegiate career.
The quarterback missed just two games due to injuries during his five years in college. One was due to a sprained ankle in 2019 and the other was from a concussion during the 2023 season. This is encouraging to his overall outlook with the Commanders, though he may need to take Dan Quinn's advice and avoid hits as much as possible if he wants to continue his strong history of avoiding inuries.