Newest Jayden Daniels injury update has the Commanders toying with the Chicago Bears

All eyes for the Chicago Bears' Week 8 game against the Washington Commanders remain on the status of Commanders' rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

On the surface, the game represents an opportunity for the Bears to be validated with the selection they made of Caleb Williams with the first-overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Since last November, the Bears were locked onto the idea of Williams being the next quarterback of organization. Given the emphasis on establishing the connection between Williams and the organization, the Bears spent very little time vetting the idea that Daniels could be an option.

Six weeks into the 2024 season, there is very little reason for the Bears to regret their decision. While Williams is doing things that Bears fans have never seen before from the team's quarterback position, Daniels has been the talk of the season, with many anointing the rookie as an MVP favorite after the first three weeks of the season.

That talk has quieted down in recent weeks, and Sunday was an opportunity for the NFL to see the highly anticipated matchup between Williams and Daniels. However, the trend continues to suggest that Daniels will not play on Sunday.

Jayden Daniels did not practice for the Commanders on Thursday.

Daniels suffered a rib injury against the Carolina Panthers last Sunday and has yet to practice this week. That would be a sign that the rookie quarterback is not going to play on Sunday against the Bears but the Commanders are leaving the door open.

Fridays are normally the days that teams have a walkthrough ahead of their games on Sunday. Even if Daniels is able to participate in practice, it likely doesn't change his status for Sunday's game. All signs continue to point in the direction of the Bears having to face Marcus Mariota on Sunday instead of Daniels.