The Commanders’ Wednesday injury report came with plenty of red flags, and the receiver room is right at the center of it. Stefon Diggs did not practice after showing up with a hamstring strain following the Colts game, and Terry McLaurin is also sitting out with the hamstring issue he suffered on Friday in London.
That leaves Washington thin at a position group already taking hits, and the list only gets longer from there. Defensive lineman Charles Omenihu is out with a groin strain and ankle injury, while Percy Butler is also unavailable after suffering a hamstring strain against the Colts. Tyler Owens is dealing with a hamstring issue as well.
Quarterback Marcus Mariota is not headed to injured reserve, but the sprained MCL is still expected to keep him sidelined for a few weeks. The good news for Washington is that Jayden Daniels was a full participant and should be on track to start in what has become a critical Week 5 matchup against the Giants.
There were a few encouraging signs elsewhere. Nick Cross was a full participant after being listed with an illness.
Sam Cosmi was limited while working through concussion protocol and a throat injury, and the Commanders are also hoping to get him back. Nick Allegretti was limited with a hip injury he carried over from last week, and Trey Amos remains on IR as he comes back from an ankle injury.
The rest of the limited group includes Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who suffered a groin strain against the Colts; Frankie Luvu, who picked up a groin injury near the end of the first half against Philly; Jeremy McNichols, who is returning from a quad strain and is still on IR; Chig Okonkwo, who was knocked out of the Eagles game by a hamstring injury; Ben Sinnott, who is dealing with a rib injury; Rachaad White, who was hurt in the Seattle game with a shoulder injury; Sonny Styles, who suffered a groin issue against the Colts; and Deatrich Wise Jr., who is still working back from a torn quad and remains on PUP.
In Other News...
Giants Just Got A Tougher NFC East Problem To Prepare For
A rough afternoon in London left Washington with more than just a loss to the Colts. Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in Week 5, and the injury immediately changed the conversation around the Commanders offense after Marcus Mariota had already gone down and third-stringer Athan Kaliakmanis was forced into action.
Dan Quinn said Daniels is on track to potentially return as soon as next week against the Giants, a development that would give Washington a much different look than it had overseas. For New York, it means preparing for a division opponent that may not be scrambling at quarterback for long, even if the recovery timeline still has to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Face A QB Decision They Can't Ignore
Washingtons quarterback room got another look this week after the team brought in Jack Plummer for a workout following Marcus Mariotas injury. For now, though, the Commanders are not planning to add him, a sign they believe Mariotas absence will be short enough to avoid an injured reserve move. With Jayden Daniels also expected back soon from an elbow injury, the position remains in a holding pattern while the staff waits to see how the health of the room settles.
Dan Quinn has stayed upbeat through a stretch that has featured multiple injuries around the roster, and this latest quarterback wrinkle fits the same uneasy theme. The Commanders do not appear ready to make a roster move at the position yet, but they are clearly keeping options open as they navigate a week-to-week situation that could shift quickly depending on Mariota and Daniels. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Kelce Faces An Awkward Test In His Next Eagles Broadcast
Jason Kelce has already shown how quickly the transition from center to broadcaster can get tricky. Since retiring in March 2024 and joining ESPN as an analyst, he has had to adjust to a different kind of public mistake, including on-air slips in which he referred to the Washington Commanders by their former name and spoke about the Philadelphia Eagles as if he were still in the huddle. In both cases, he apologized during the broadcast, a reminder that even a former star who knows the league inside and out still has to learn a new rhythm on the microphone.
Now comes another chance to see how far that adjustment has come. Kelce is set to call another Eagles game in London, and the setting only adds to the scrutiny for a broadcaster trying to separate old habits from his new role. For Washington fans, the interest is obvious: anytime the franchise name comes up on a national stage, or the Eagles get discussed through the eyes of a longtime rival, there is room for a stray moment to become part of the conversation again. [Read more 🡒]