The Washington Commanders don’t yet know how they will proceed following QB Jayden Daniel’s dislocated left elbow, which raises several serious questions at the game’s most important position.
It remains unclear how long Daniels will be out, how many games backup Marcus Mariota will have to start and whether the team will pursue an upgrade to the quarterback depth chart now, at some point ahead of the NFL trade deadline, next offseason or simply not at all.
“[Daniels is] still going through opinions to try to make sure he does the absolute, 100 percent right thing,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported via the “Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, September 22. “And, you know, the fact that he had a similar injury last year, they’re gonna be cautious anyway. Obviously, they’re gonna go through opinions anyway. But you just wanna be absolutely sure.”
Rapoport then got into the Mariota of it all, mentioning that the backup QB now in his third year with the Commanders is likely to start at least a couple of contests for Washington moving forward.
“Marcus Mariota is expected to start. I would expect him to start multiple games, I don’t think that would be a surprise to anyone,” Rapoport continued.
The good news for Washington is that the team is heading into a three-game home stand after starting its season with two road contests.
The bad news is that the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are coming to town next Sunday and are seven-point favorites already, and that is without an update on Sam Darnold’s health or the possibility that he returns to the starting lineup for Seattle next week.
Washington will then host the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants, respectively.
Chance Commanders Could Put Jayden Daniels on Injured Reserve
Daniels’ situation is fluid and has several possible outcomes depending on how the franchise and the QB’s team of doctors decide to proceed.
Surgery on the left elbow is a possibility because this is the second time Daniels has dislocated it in less than two years and the third time he has injured the joint over that same stretch.
“I think the biggest decision for the Commanders is does Jayden Daniels go on injured reserve? Hopefully not,” Rapoport added. “Or does he have a chance to come back in that four-game window? Hopefully. If he did, he would probably come back with a brace on his left arm, which is, like, not ideal … [but] I think he’ll be OK.”
Commanders May Consider Drafting Rookie QB in 2027 if Jayden Daniels’ Injury Proves Long-Term Issue
Ultimately, the franchise is liable to err on the side of caution with Daniels, even if it means he misses the next four games (at least) and that the Commanders’ season could go completely in the tank before the 2024 Rookie of the Year can return to the huddle.
The uncertainty around Daniels, and the franchise in general, led ESPN’s Ben Solak to a soft prediction Tuesday that Washington may have a new starting QB in Week 1 of the 2027 campaign.
“Daniels missed 10 games last year. If he misses 15 games this year, I don’t see how the Commanders don’t consider a young, developmental investment in QB2,” Solak wrote. “They won’t give up on Daniels. If he’s healthy, he’ll get the 2027 Week 1 start, and they’ll do everything they can to recapture his 2024 magic (and availability). But the Commanders will have to have a better long-term view at QB2 than Mariota. Anthony Richardson Sr., anyone?”
Commanders Offer Unsettling News on Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota