Daniels ‘truly day-to-day’ with sprained knee as Commanders prepare for Raiders

Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels could miss Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders with a sprained knee, coach Dan Quinn confirmed on Monday.

The team isn’t concerned about the second-year signal-caller’s long-term status, but they are looking to avoid any setbacks.

“He is truly day-to-day. What does that mean for Sunday? I can’t tell you that now,” Quinn said. “[He] would have to hit all the markers even to be considered to go. … We’re just not going to miss any steps along the way.”

Daniels injured his leg late in Thursday’s 27-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers — an injury added to an already insulting game. The nimble quarterback was sprinting away from Packers’ pass rusher Micah Parsons when he was upended by safety Jevon Bullard on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year grabbed at his knee and limped through the final quarter, ultimately tossing two futile touchdowns in the defeat.

The dual-threat passer underwent an MRI following the game, leading to the official diagnosis.

Now, Quinn says it’s his job to protect Daniels from himself as the quarterback continues the “return to play” process.

“That’s just who he is, which I also love about him, by the way,” the coach said. “But that’s my job: to make sure I’m getting all the information from the medical side, he’s getting all the tests. But you also have to trust your eyes. Where’s he at? We’re just not going to miss it.”

For now, the coach and quarterback have avoided focusing too much on the injury. They’re more concerned with correcting last week’s mistakes and getting the team ready to face the Raiders.

The Commanders return to the practice field on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before Sunday’s home game.

If Daniels is unable to play, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota is expected to lead the offense.

Daniels is only the latest Commander added to an ever-growing injury report.

The team confirmed Monday that starting running back Austin Ekeler would miss the rest of the season with an Achilles injury. Defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. will be similarly sidelined for the year with a quad injury.

Those are just the most serious injuries.

Tight end John Bates — a key blocker for Washington’s dynamic running attack — is dealing with a groin injury, as is wide receiver Noah Brown. Cornerback Jonathan Jones will also be on the injury report after leaving the Packers game with an undisclosed injury.

Quinn called Bates and Brown “long shots” to play next week.

“Both of them had soft-tissue injuries and we’ll just see what it looks like as we get through Wednesday,” he said. “But we’re still assessing them and [Jones] and Jayden as well.”

The Commanders had the weekend to lick their wounds. They returned to the facility on Monday, ready to return to routine after last week’s accelerated practice schedule ahead of the trip to Green Bay.

Quinn’s coaching staff has a tough proposition ahead of them as they cope with the injuries. There’s no clear replacement for Wise’s role on the active roster. The Commanders signed the 270-pound defender in free agency to reinforce a porous run defense.

Second-year defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste could take most of Wise’s snaps. The Commanders also elevated Jalyn Holmes from the practice squad to add depth to the defensive front.

“We’ll have to adjust, for sure. The size and strength that Deatrich played with, it’s a real thing. So, we’ll mix it around,” Quinn said, noting that the team could potentially add another defender in free agency.

In the backfield, several runners will likely see more work in Ekeler’s absence. Fan-favorite rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, a seventh-rounder from Arizona, will continue to see the bulk of the designed runs. He leads the team with 99 rushing yards through two weeks.

But Ekeler’s biggest contributions came in the passing game, where he served as a solid blocker and a vital checkdown receiver for Daniels.

Veteran Jeremy McNichols has flashed versatility as a blocker and receiver, but lacks Ekeler’s dynamism. 

Chris Rodriguez, who was a healthy scratch in the first two games, is also on the 53-man roster.

“It won’t be with one person, not right away anyway,” Quinn said about filling the Ekeler-sized hole in the offense. “Those roles will get worked out over time, but it won’t be in the exact same way. It’s not something that’s not something where you say, ‘Okay, let’s plug and play.’”

The Commanders added an extra body on Monday in journeyman running back Chase Edmonds, who joined the practice squad. The former Miami Dolphin and Arizona Cardinal last played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023.

It’s too early for Quinn’s 1-1 squad to start panicking. But the growing pile of injuries could increase fans’ blood pressure in the coming weeks.