ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders have officially ruled out quarterback Jayden Daniels for their upcoming game against the Las Vegas Raiders due to a knee sprain. In his absence, veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota will take the starting position, while Josh Johnson is set to serve as Mariota's backup.
This decision mirrors the Commanders' approach during Week 8 of the previous season when Daniels was sidelined with a rib injury ahead of a game against the Chicago Bears. At that time, he missed two practices and was listed as limited the Friday before the game, despite not participating in the media-viewing portion of practice. Mariota had prepared as the first-team quarterback throughout the week, but in a surprising turn of events, head coach Dan Quinn announced just hours before kickoff that Daniels would indeed start. Daniels went on to deliver a remarkable Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown for the victory.
Daniels sustained his current injury during a fourth-quarter scramble in Washington’s Week 2 loss against the Green Bay Packers. Although he completed the game, he was frequently seen reaching for his knee after being tackled. Following a particularly hard hit, he hobbled back to the line of scrimmage but chose to remain in the game, ultimately throwing two touchdowns despite the injury. After the game, he was seen with an ice pack on his knee and visibly limping. When asked about his condition after taking 10 hits during the match, Daniels reassured reporters that he felt “good.” However, an MRI the following day confirmed a knee sprain, leading Quinn to describe Daniels as “truly day to day.”
Throughout the week, Daniels did not participate in practices on Wednesday or Thursday and was absent from the media-viewing segment of Friday's workouts. Although he threw some passes on Wednesday, he missed the team's more intense practice sessions, which are typically held on Fridays. As a result, Mariota took the first-team reps, with Johnson preparing as a potential backup. Despite his injury, Daniels remained actively involved in team meetings and game preparations, appearing in the locker room with a large brace on his left knee.
Quinn emphasized the importance of ensuring that Daniels hits all necessary markers in the return-to-play protocol established by the coaching staff and medical team. This protocol is crucial for assessing his leg strength and ability to change direction effectively. Quinn stated, “We will just kind of go through the whole process with him and we’re not going to rush it either. With Jayden, we know how important he is, and so we’re just going to take it slowly. That’s why I truly say it’s day by day to make sure that he can absolutely be himself.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Daniels' availability, Raiders coach Pete Carroll indicated earlier this week that he was preparing for Daniels to start. “Well, we have to prepare for him playing, and the bet is probably that he will,” Carroll told Las Vegas media on Wednesday. “They might not practice him until later in the week, but we’re going to count him in. We have a lot of background about Marcus on the staff, so we know what his capabilities are, and we’re preparing for both guys, but primarily for Jayden.”
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
(Photo: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
