Jayden Daniels’ left elbow injury remains in the evaluation stage, but the Commanders got one encouraging piece of news Friday: surgery is not currently being considered.
General manager Adam Peters said Daniels had just returned late Thursday after traveling around the country to meet with specialists about the dislocation he suffered at the end of the first half of Washington’s Week 2 loss at Dallas. The team is still sorting through opinions and hasn’t settled on the next step.
“He just got back late last night and the guys are meeting with him this morning,” Peters said Friday morning during his weekly appearance with the The Junkies on 106.7-FM The Fan in Washington. “We met with doctors all over the country and were really thorough.
And we got a lot of good opinions. And now it’s a matter of thinking about what’s the best course of action.
“As of right now surgery is not on the table and we haven’t discussed (injured reserve). It’s just a matter of how we’re going to get him back on the field. That’s still to be determined.”
Peters said the team will rely on its medical staff to help decide the best path forward. For now, the fact that injured reserve isn’t being discussed suggests Daniels could avoid a longer absence than the four weeks that designation would require.
He later softened that statement slightly, saying the situation is still too early to pin down.
“At this time,” Peters said. “I don’t want to make any proclamations, but those aren’t things we’ve discussed and landed on yet.
He just got back. We haven’t even sat down and talked about what we’re doing moving forward.”
Peters also said linebacker Frankie Luvu (groin), tight end Chig Okonkwo (hamstring) and guard Sam Cosmi (concussion) were all a “longshot” to play against the Seahawks.
In Other News...
Javon Kinlaw Suddenly Puts Washingtons Defensive Momentum In Doubt
Javon Kinlaw had started to look like one of the early bright spots in Washingtons defensive front, a meaningful development for a line that needs steady push in front of it. After arriving on a three-year deal from general manager Adam Peters in 2025, Kinlaws early-season improvement suggested the Commanders might finally be getting the kind of interior presence they had envisioned when they made the investment.
Now the shoulder injury he picked up in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys has introduced a new layer of uncertainty. Dan Quinn said Kinlaw will likely be limited in practice, and his status for the next game is up in the air, leaving Washington to wait on one of the players who had begun to tilt the tone of its defense in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face A Tough Home Opener Without Jayden Daniels
Marcus Mariota will take the first snap for Washington in its Week 3 home opener against the Seattle Seahawks, with Jayden Daniels still sidelined after dislocating his left elbow. Dan Quinn made the call official, and the adjustment lands at an especially tricky moment for a Commanders offense that has had to recalibrate quickly around a new quarterback and a different style of play.
Without Daniels dual-threat element, Washington is expected to lean more heavily on quick passes and a more controlled approach through the air. Daniels is still consulting specialists, and there is no set timeline for his return, leaving the Commanders to navigate a key stretch of the season with Mariota in charge and the offense built around what he does best. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Week 3 Just Got More Dangerous Without Jayden Daniels
The Seahawks suddenly look a little more formidable heading into their Week 3 trip to Washington, with Sam Darnold on track to possibly return sooner than expected from a glute injury he picked up early in Seattles season opener. Seattle has been managing that setback carefully, but the team is now aiming for Darnold to be available against the Commanders, and coach Mike Macdonald has left open the possibility that he could suit up.
For Washington, the timing is especially awkward because Jayden Daniels will be out with a dislocated elbow, leaving the Commanders without their quarterback in a game that already carried plenty of weight. If Darnold is indeed back, the matchup shifts from a matchup of uncertainty to one where Seattle could bring a healthier starter into a spot where Washington is trying to piece together its offense on the fly. [Read more 🡒]