The Washington Commanders are staring at another quarterback problem, and this one could push them toward a very familiar name.
Marcus Mariota left the Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts with an MCL injury, and head coach Dan Quinn is still waiting on more tests. The early read, though, is that Mariota is going to miss time again. With Jayden Daniels still working back from a dislocated elbow, Washington’s depth chart is suddenly looking thin in a hurry.
That leaves the Commanders with a few choices, none of them ideal. A trade for a quarterback would be the boldest route, but it also looks highly unlikely. That makes the more realistic path a veteran signing, at least until Mariota is ready to return.
Seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis is viewed as a development project, while practice squad quarterback Sam Hartman is not at the level Washington would want in this spot. The team could simply lean into the youth and let Kaliakmanis get reps if Daniels remains on track, especially if another injury to Daniels would effectively end the season anyway.
But if Washington wants a more reliable veteran presence, Jeff Driskel makes sense.
Driskel already knows the organization, having spent time with the Commanders over the last two years. He would still need to learn a new system under offensive coordinator David Blough, but he has enough experience to adjust quickly. Washington also signed him off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad last year, so there is already a recent connection there for general manager Adam Peters to revisit.
At this stage, the move would be about stability more than upside. Driskel would give the Commanders help in game-week preparation, and he would offer a steadier option if the worst-case scenario hits with Daniels.
Of course, whether Driskel would even want the job is another question. He did not draw much attention this offseason, Washington did not bring him back, and he may have grown comfortable being away from the daily grind.
Still, the Commanders may not have much luxury left. This latest setback has an ugly resemblance to what happened last season, when Daniels got hurt, Mariota was forced in, and then ended up on the shelf too. That left Washington with a season that was effectively over well before the finish.
Driskel is not the kind of signing that changes a team’s outlook. But he knows the building, he knows enough of the people involved, and he can step in without much drama. For a team in this spot, that might be enough.
Washington could also choose to stay the course with Kaliakmanis as the backup if the team is confident Daniels will return. Even so, another contingency would not hurt. In a messy quarterback situation like this, Driskel looks like one of the cleaner options still available.
In Other News...
Commanders Got Pulled Into Jason Kelces Latest On-Air Awkward Moment
Jason Kelces latest broadcast slip came during the NFL International Series game between the Commanders and Colts, when the former Eagles center referred to Washington by its old nickname. Dave Pasch quickly corrected him on air, a reminder of how much attention even an offhand line can draw in a high-profile game overseas.
Kelce has already been in the spotlight for other awkward on-air moments this season, including a recent Monday Night Football broadcast in which he referred to the Eagles as we. For Washington, the moment barely registered compared with the action on the field, but it still put the franchise back into a conversation it long ago worked to leave behind. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders London Game Suddenly Feels Very Different Before Colts Matchup
The Commanders trip to London has already taken on a different feel with the club confirming Jayden Daniels will not play against the Colts on Oct. 4, leaving Marcus Mariota in line to start at quarterback for the early kickoff. For a game that was supposed to offer a clean international showcase, Washington now heads overseas with a more complicated lineup picture than expected, one shaped as much by availability as by the setting.
Several other names add to the uncertainty, with Sam Cosmi and Nick Cross ruled out while Frankie Luvu and Chig Okonkwo are set to return from injury. For Washington, that mix of absences and reinforcements means the London stage will still carry real stakes, just with a far different cast than the team envisioned when the matchup was first set. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Now Face A Brutal Problem Heading Into Division Games
The Commanders trip to London turned into a rough reset after a 30-13 loss to the Colts, and it came at a time when the margin for error was already shrinking. Washington was forced to play with its third-string quarterback after injuries to Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, leaving the offense in a difficult spot against an Indianapolis team that leaned on Jonathan Taylor and a physical ground game.
Washington also had to absorb another hit when wide receiver Jaylin Lane left with an ankle injury, adding to the concern as division games loom. The Colts got rushing touchdowns from Taylor and another from Daniel Jones, even if the passing attack never fully clicked, while the Commanders spent most of the afternoon trying to keep the game from slipping further out of reach. [Read more 🡒]