What Dan Quinn said about playing Jayden Daniels vs. Lions

The Washington Commanders face the Detroit Lions on Saturday in the second preseason game. There’s been a debate all week on whether starting quarterback Jayden Daniels will play. Daniels is 100% healthy, so why the debate?

Head coach Dan Quinn has been vague all week about who will play. On Thursday, Quinn met with the media for the final time before Saturday’s game and had an interesting answer when asked if Daniels would play.

“Once I know the health of everybody else around, then I’ll have a better sense for it,” Quinn said.

When he says the health of everyone around him, does he mean center Nick Allegretti? Or the fact that several of Washington’s running backs are dinged up and the Commanders may play Saturday’s game with two rookies and a recently signed veteran. Would Quinn trust any of those backs in pass protection with Daniels in the game?

Quinn already ruled Allegretti out for Saturday.

“Nick’s calf was tight yesterday within practice, so we took him out,” he said. “And then we did some imaging last night, and the good news is that it came back clean. So, we’ll hold him from the game this weekend. He’ll stay back here, rehab, and then get another evaluation on Sunday is what it looks like for the joint practice [with Baltimore].”

Allegretti has only practiced three days since training camp began over three weeks ago. That is a big concern since he has played only a handful of games at center in his NFL career, and the Commanders are also adjusting to a new offense that will feature Daniels more under center. And the two players behind Allegretti have a combined two NFL snaps.

As for Daniels, if he’s healthy, he should play. Even if it’s only for a drive. How did a similar strategy work last season? Quinn has done a good job of breaking from some of his norms this summer. If Allegretti being out is the sole reason that Washington is considering sitting Daniels, then GM Adam Peters is admitting he didn’t do a good enough job at center.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: What Dan Quinn said about playing Jayden Daniels vs. Lions