LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) – The much-anticipated meeting between the top two selections in the 2024 NFL Draft may not come to fruition Sunday.
Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels (ribs) won’t practice Wednesday, head coach Dan Quinn told reporters in Washington. If Daniels is sidelined Sunday, veteran backup Marcus Mariota will be called upon to start against the Bears.
“We have a contingency plan,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said of the Commanders’ quarterback uncertainty.
Daniels, 23, was the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft after the Bears took quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall. Daniels has thrown for 1,410 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions in seven games. Daniels exited early in the Commanders’ 40-7 win against the Panthers on Sunday with a rib injury. Quinn previously indicated that Daniels’ health was considered “week-to-week.”
Mariota, 30, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns while filling in for the injured Daniels on Sunday.
Mariota has played in 92 career NFL games, making 74 starts, across 10 seasons in the league. He last faced the Bears in 2022 as the Falcons’ starting quarterback, leading Atlanta to a 27-24 victory.
Kickoff between the Bears and Commanders is set for 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday from Northwest Stadium.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.