The Washington Commanders will be without their young star quarterback in Week 3. Head coach Dan Quinn announced that Jayden Daniels has been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders as he continues to recover from a knee sprain suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Jayden Daniels Ruled Out for Week 3, Marcus Mariota Stepping In
For the first time in his NFL career, Daniels will miss a start due to the injury. Despite having a rib injury during his rookie season, he was still able to play each week.
The Commanders are being cautious this time, putting their franchise quarterback’s long-term health ahead of getting him back into play right away.
Daniels sustained his injury last Sunday, September 11, during a brutal Thursday night matchup with Green Bay. His MRI the next day verified a sprain in his left knee but showed no significant structural damage. He missed sessions earlier in the week, so his practice was limited on Friday. However, team doctors did not give him the all-clear to play.
With this news, veteran Marcus Mariota will start for Washington. This is nothing new for Mariota, who has made 74 starts in his career and has postseason experience. For the Commanders, it’s a relief to have Mariota, and the expectation is for him to keep guard until Daniels is clear to return.
Commanders Preparing Ahead by Maintaining Daniels’ Health
For the Commanders, Daniels’ departure at this early stage of the season was not on their bingo card. They are 1-1 in the fiercely competitive NFC East, where every game matters. Without him, the team will have to adjust and lean more on Mariota, the running game, and their defense to keep pace.
Week 3 NFL Injury Report: Latest Updates on Jayden Daniels, Aaron Jones Sr., Chris Godwin, Joe Mixon, Others
Nonetheless, the organization made it apparent that the choice was based on the wider environment. Daniels has a lot of the season left to play, so the Commanders cannot afford to risk making the injury worse by forcing him back onto the field too soon in Week 3.
They’re hopeful that allowing him time to recover now will make him well enough to lead the squad the rest of the way.
So for Week 3, it’s Mariota under center and Daniels on the sideline. It may not be how Washington envisioned starting this stretch of the season, but protecting their franchise quarterback is the priority. The Commanders will now try to hold steady until Daniels is ready to return.
The Commanders will host the Las Vegas Raiders, with the game’s kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET on local FOX stations.
