The Washington Commanders have a Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, but they may be without their starting quarterback, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
“Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who underwent an MRI following the loss to the Packers, was diagnosed with a sprained knee, per me and Mike Garafolo. Not a long-term injury, but Daniels’ status this week vs the Raiders is in doubt,” Rapoport wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
It's good news that the injury doesn't sound serious, and the Commanders could play it safe and sit him this week. If so, Marcus Mariota will step in for Daniels. In three relief appearances for the Commanders last season, he completed 34 of his 44 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. The last time Marietta started was in 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons.
Daniels had a long night against the Packers on Thursday Night Football, as he was sacked four times and hit 12 times. He was contained in the running game with only 17 yards, which was his second-lowest total in his career. It's not certain which play Daniels was injured on, but he was still able to play the entire game.
The Commanders have high expectations this season, especially after their run to the NFC Championship Game last year. Daniels was a big part of that run in his rookie season, and with some improvements made over the offseason, the hope is that they can repeat that success.
Daniels being out isn't good news for the Commanders, but as long as he isn't out for an extended time, they should be good. There will be a lot of eyes on the Commanders this week to see if Daniels practices at all, and if he does, that can show some optimism that he may try to suit up for the team despite the injury.
