Jayden Daniels says the left shoulder isn’t a concern, and he’s not backing away from playing.
“That’s what the brace is for,” the Commanders quarterback said, via ESPN. “If I had that concern, I would have gotten surgery.”
Daniels said he has already talked with specialists and doesn’t believe there’s any long-term damage to worry about.
“Obviously you have those conversations with people I need to have those conversations with. If the surgery was needed to be ASAP, then I’ve got to do what’s best for me.
We had those conversations. I was blessed enough to go back out there on the practice field … I’m not really concerned at this moment.”
In Dallas, Jerry Jones is framing the Cowboys’ move for Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as part of a bigger defensive rebuild. Speaking Friday on 105.3 The Fan, Jones made it clear he sees the deal as the kind of swing a team has to be willing to make.
“It’s important to think big,” Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “And this is over in that big thought area about what we can do to help our defense.
It’s always fluid, and you can’t sit still. If you look at the overall picture, I frankly decided a couple of years ago to get in the business of reworking what we are defensively.”
Jones also said Porter brings traits the Cowboys believe can help.
“He’s got some different aspects to him that are pluses as player, as an athlete, his skill. So we hope that this is not only an improvement in just generally our personnel but hope it can really be one that he really finds his level of abilities or level to perform on the field. I’d hope we mirror the George Pickens move that brought him in.”
Jones said he’s expecting the Porter trade to pay off in a similar way to the George Pickens deal.
“That’s pretty high expectations, but you have to have them to make a deal like this.”
Around the league, the reaction has been mixed. Per Jonathan Jones of The Athletic, many believe the Cowboys overpaid for Porter, who is not seen as a top-tier cornerback, and some are pointing to a recent run of pricey acquisitions that includes Trey Lance, Jonathan Mingo, Joe Milton and Rashan Gary.
The Giants also made a quarterback move, landing J.J. McCarthy from the Vikings after Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending injury. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who coached McCarthy at Michigan, said his brother, Giants head coach John Harbaugh, reached out to him for his opinion.
“I mean, John called me and asked me,” Harbaugh said, via the Chargers’ official site. “I said, you know, John, I love you.
I love J.J. I think you guys would be…’ so, really, I’m telling you the same thing that I told my brother.”
McCarthy said the trade caught him off guard, but he’s eager to jump in.
“When I got the call from here, you know, it was a shock. I didn’t anticipate it, but at the end of the day, it’s an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to take advantage of, and, you know, I love these guys already, and I can’t wait to do it for them.”
Jonathan Jones reported that plenty of people around the league expected McCarthy to be moved for a sixth-round pick.
And with Brian Burns out for the year, Giants linebacker Abdul Carter said the pass rush has no excuse not to answer the bell.
“This is something that shouldn’t really be a question, especially if we are who we think we are. We’ve got to take this as a challenge and step up.
We’ve just got to be better. It’s as simple as that.
We’ve got to get more sacks and create more pressure.”
In Other News...
Commanders Still Sent A Frustrating Backfield Message After Jacory Croskey-Merritts Breakout
Jacory Croskey-Merritt gave the Commanders a much-needed spark in Week 5 against the Giants, turning his touches into a productive afternoon and giving Washington another reminder that its backfield has some life in it. The rookie has been working to carve out a real role in the offense, and his performance only added to the case that he deserves a longer look as the season goes on.
Even so, the usage pattern told a more frustrating story for Washington. The coaching staff leaned on veteran Rachaad White in the moments that mattered most, even with White dealing with a shoulder injury, and the preference for experience over the younger runner still showed through. Croskey-Merritt is forcing the issue, but the Commanders have not yet given him the kind of opening his play may warrant. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Rough Start Could Force A Tough Call On Key Veteran
Washingtons rough start has quickly turned the next stretch of the season into a crossroads, with a critical meeting against the 49ers looming and the bigger question being whether the Commanders stay in the race or start thinking about the future. One of the biggest names in that conversation is Daron Payne, a longtime defensive anchor who remains central to how this team wants to play in the trenches even as the losses pile up.
Paynes situation gives the front office real options, and not all of them point in the same direction. Washington can explore an extension and try to keep one of its most important veterans in place, but if the season keeps slipping away, moving a proven starter before the trade deadline would bring back draft capital and help reshape the roster for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Coaching Decision Could Split Fans For One Big Reason
The Commanders are already being pulled into an early coaching conversation, with Dan Quinns future looking uncertain enough to send the search cycle into motion. The speculation has centered on a range of offensive and defensive coordinators around the league, which is the sort of list that can quickly divide a fan base between those who want a proven leader and those who prefer an up-and-coming play caller with a fresh approach.
Adam Peters hand in the process only adds to the intrigue, because the final direction may say as much about the front offices vision as it does about Quinns season. For now, it remains a waiting game, with no official decision in place and plenty of room for the kind of late push that could alter the conversation, even if the path to changing it looks steep. [Read more 🡒]