The Washington Commanders are headed into Week 3 without Jayden Daniels, and the setback comes in ugly fashion. Head coach Dan Quinn said Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in Sunday’s 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the same elbow he injured last season.
Quinn said Daniels will go through more testing on Monday. The early good news is that initial X-rays ruled out a fracture. Quinn also said there’s “optimism” Daniels will play again this season, though the full evaluation will determine the timeline and whether surgery is needed.
The injury happened late in the first half on a third-and-goal snap. Daniels slipped as he tried to receive the ball, then landed awkwardly while trying to brace himself on the turf.
It’s another brutal turn for the third-year quarterback, who already dealt with a knee sprain and a hamstring injury during his injury-riddled 2025 season. That year ended with the dislocated elbow in Washington’s 38-14 loss to the Seahawks, and Daniels missed three games after that previous elbow injury.
Nearly a year later, Washington finds itself in the same spot: moving forward without its starting quarterback, at least for now.
Marcus Mariota stepped in against Dallas and finished with 111 passing yards and a touchdown in limited action. He’ll be the starter again when the Commanders face Seattle in Week 3.
Washington is still searching for its first win, and Mariota will have to try to get it against a Seahawks defense that was dominant against Arizona, allowing just 151 total yards. The Seahawks, meanwhile, have opened the season with two straight wins despite being without Sam Darnold for most of their first two games.
In Other News...
Virginia Is Waiting On One Offensive Line Decision After West Virginia
Virginias offensive line is still sorting out one of its key early-season questions after the West Virginia game, with left guard Noah Josey working through an ankle injury and the Cavaliers preparing for Delaware. Josey left the contest partway through and was replaced by Ben York, who handled 55 snaps in relief, giving Virginia a workable answer in the moment while the staff kept an eye on the bigger picture.
Tony Elliott said Josey was out at practice and described him as hopeful for Saturday, which leaves the Cavaliers in a familiar spot this time of year: balancing caution with the need to get their best five up front on the field. The line looked capable with York filling in, but Virginia would clearly prefer to have Josey back as it keeps building toward its next game. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Needs Noah Josey Back As O-Line Concern Grows
Virginias offensive line had a rougher night once left guard Noah Josey went out against West Virginia, and that has made his status worth watching as the Cavaliers get ready for Delaware. Josey left early with an ankle issue after 20 snaps, and coach Tony Elliott said the guard is expected to return to practice soon, a timely development for a group that looked less stable without him.
The bigger picture for Virginia is simple: the line needs to settle down before the schedule gets tougher, and getting Josey back healthy would help. The Cavaliers are hoping he can be available for a later matchup with Florida State, but first they need to see how his recovery goes over the next few days and whether the unit can regain its footing in practice. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias Rebound Game Comes With A Week Four Lineup Mess
Virginia had a rough reset after the West Virginia loss, a 38-27 setback in a game it was favored to win, and the attention now shifts quickly to Delaware with a rebound effort on deck. The Cavaliers are also sorting through the aftermath of that defeat, where injuries and lineup shuffling have started to complicate what looked like a straightforward path into the next week.
Noah Josey went down in the first half against the Mountaineers, and defensive tackle Jason Hammond is expected to be out for the foreseeable future, which only adds to the uncertainty on both sides of the ball. The week four depth chart did not fully match what Virginia has actually used on Saturdays, either, with John Rogers and Corey Costner already starting games even though they are listed as backups, so the Cavaliers are heading into the Delaware game with a few more moving parts than the official chart suggests. [Read more 🡒]