With their quarterback room suddenly running on fumes, the Washington Commanders are turning to a familiar face to help stabilize the situation. The team is signing veteran quarterback Jeff Driskel off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad, a move prompted by a string of injuries that’s left Washington scrambling for healthy arms.
Jayden Daniels, the Commanders’ promising rookie starter, has been ruled out for the season. On top of that, Marcus Mariota went down over the weekend, thinning the depth chart even further.
That leaves Josh Johnson as the only active quarterback on the roster, with rookie Sam Hartman stashed on the practice squad. Enter Driskel, a well-traveled signal-caller who knows the building and has worn the burgundy and gold before.
Driskel, now 32, brings a wealth of experience and adaptability-two traits Washington desperately needs right now. He was with the Commanders earlier this year and even appeared in a game, though he didn’t attempt a pass. Still, the familiarity with the system and coaching staff gives him a leg up as he steps into a chaotic situation.
His journey to this point has been anything but linear. Drafted in the sixth round by the 49ers in 2016, Driskel never played a snap for San Francisco.
He was waived before the season and quickly claimed by the Bengals, where he got his first real taste of NFL action. Since then, he’s bounced around the league, making stops in Detroit, Denver, Houston, Cleveland, Las Vegas, and Arizona-sometimes as a backup, sometimes on the practice squad, and even briefly as a tight end during a stint with the Texans.
This year alone, Driskel has been with the Cardinals, Browns, Commanders, Raiders, and then back to the Cardinals’ practice squad. It’s the kind of quarterback journey that doesn’t show up in highlight reels but speaks volumes about his resilience and readiness to step in whenever and wherever needed.
Now, he gets another shot in Washington, where the Commanders are simply trying to make it through the final stretch of the season without running out of quarterbacks. Driskel may not be the long-term answer, but right now, he’s the steady hand they need in a room that’s been hit hard by injuries. And with his history of stepping in on short notice, don’t be surprised if he’s called on to take meaningful snaps before the season wraps.