Washington’s backfield is getting crowded with problems at exactly the wrong time.
On Thursday, Jacory Croskey-Merritt missed practice with a groin injury, and Austin Ekeler was limited because of a chest issue. That comes on top of a moving target of a depth chart, with Kaytron Allen now in Miami and Robert Henry Jr. in Seattle. For a Commanders offense that has been reshuffling its running backs almost weekly, the timing could hardly be worse.
There was at least some movement on the injury front elsewhere for Washington. Linebacker Jordan Magee had his practice window opened after being on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, while Trey Amos, Nick Cross, and Jeremy McNichols were all full participants. Magee was limited, but with so many players unavailable through five games, any sign of bodies trending back is a positive for the Commanders.
The Commanders also got another opportunity Thursday to talk through the overtime chaos against the Giants, and Jayden Daniels wasn’t interested in letting Dan Quinn absorb all of the criticism by himself. Daniels said he has to be better at settling things down when the game gets chaotic.
“I know (coach Dan Quinn) was getting a lot of slack for it or whatever. But regardless of what happens, I'm the person on the field that's supposed to calm everything, control everything.”
Washington sits at 1-3-1, last in the NFC East, and the injuries have helped make the picture look especially grim. Even so, Philadelphia and Dallas are both 2-3, leaving the division packed tighter than the record suggests with 12 games still to play.
The Commanders could use more good news, and one bright spot has been Amik Robertson. The cornerback has been one of Adam Peters’ best additions, leading the NFL with eight passes defensed through five games. He’s added 33 tackles and one forced fumble as well, giving Washington production that has stood out in a season full of turbulence.
Robertson said the challenge is part of the job, especially with how much the team has already been asked to absorb. “It’s difficult, some are longer than others, but that’s part of the job to make sure these are the specific moments that we want to learn from and apply and move it forward,” he said.
"What I do know about our team, through the first part of the season, we’ve had a lot of adversity. You’ve got to respond and dig deep on a player being out, an injury, things that don’t normally come up like hospitalizations and injuries that knock a guy out for the year.
There’s going to be that in our game in terms of fighting through the adversity to go. ...
Defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. also added a little personality to the week after celebrating a tackle by doing the backstroke while getting off the turf. Wise laughed about it later, telling WUSA9 Sports Director Marshall Kramsky, “I was just having fun.
I'm not gonna lie. I remember the play vividly.
I lock out. I see the back go this way.
I shed my guy, and I just wrap up, and he's laying on my body, and I just like... I'm just so excited,” Wise shared with WUSA9 Sports Director Marshall Kramsky.
“I just started doing the backstroke…”
Ahead of Washington’s matchup with the 49ers, San Francisco has its own injury questions to sort through. Nick Bosa, Mike Evans, and Deebo Samuel all sat out practice Thursday, while Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams were absent but were getting rest days. Kyle Shanahan said he’s hopeful Bosa can play Monday night, though the team still doesn’t have an answer.
There was also a small bit of movement on San Francisco’s side. Christian Kirk returned to the practice field Thursday after the 49ers opened his 21-day return window, and he was limited for the first time since a calf injury in training camp.
He still has to be activated before he can play against Washington. The 49ers also promoted defensive lineman Ogbo Okoronkwo to the active roster and signed linebacker Eugene Asante to their practice squad.
Dan Quinn’s future and Adam Peters’ approach have become part of the conversation around Washington’s rough start, and the trade deadline chatter is already building. The Commanders are still trying to steady themselves after the overtime tie with the Giants, and Brandon Coleman’s message was simple: “The season doesn’t stop, neither can you, no matter what happens.”
In Other News...
Commanders Enter Brutal Stretch With Dan Quinn Under Growing Pressure
The Commanders walked away from their loss to the Giants with more than just a blown 14-point fourth-quarter lead to explain. The way they handled the final overtime play only sharpened the scrutiny around Dan Quinn, whose team has now given critics plenty to point to after a frustrating late collapse.
Washington does not get much time to reset before stepping into another difficult test, and the margin for error is about to shrink fast. A trip to face the unbeaten 49ers adds another layer of pressure to a stretch that already feels like a measuring stick for where this season is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Amos Could Face A Brutal First Test In His Commanders Return
Trey Amos is finally nearing a long-awaited return, and the Commanders could have him back on the practice field in full this week as they sort through whether to activate him for Week 6 against the 49ers. It would mark a major step for a cornerback who has spent nearly a year trying to work his way back after a string of injuries, with Washington expected to bring him along carefully as he rebuilds his football shape.
The timing, though, is not exactly gentle. San Francisco presents a demanding first assignment for any defender easing back into game action, and the Commanders will have to balance the need for depth in the secondary against the reality that Amos is still getting his legs under him. For Washington, the hope is simply to get a promising piece back on the field without asking too much of him too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Owns Costly Commanders Mistake During Shaky Start
Jayden Daniels spent part of his week owning up to a mistake that loomed large in Washingtons overtime tie against the Giants, one that came during a late possession and left the Commanders without a chance to set up a winning field goal. Speaking to Washington reporters, Daniels made it clear he was focused on the game-management side of the job, the kind of detail that can matter just as much as throws and scrambles when a team is trying to settle itself early in the season.
It has been a shaky start overall for Washington at 1-3-1, and Daniels response offered a small window into how the Commanders plan to handle the frustration. He said he would not put the blame on the coaches and promised to be better with those situational decisions, with San Francisco up next as the team tries to turn close-game mistakes into something cleaner. [Read more 🡒]