Daniels misses practice with knee sprain, putting status in doubt for Week 3

The Commanders are preparing to face the Las Vegas Raiders without second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year missed Wednesday’s practice with a knee sprain.

The Commanders aren’t rushing him back. That doesn’t stop Daniels from chomping at the bit to return to practice.

“We recognize the importance of the person, the player, what he means to the franchise. So we’re also going to be smart, not just fast, in this assessment,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said of his quarterback. “But this is a player that’s absolutely wanting to do everything all the time.”

Daniels will not practice on Thursday, either, but the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner hasn’t been officially ruled out for the Week 3 matchup. The team plans to evaluate him throughout the week before making a decision following Friday’s practice.

If Daniels is unable to play Sunday, veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota would lead Washington’s offense against the Raiders.

Mariota hasn’t started a game since 2022, but played significant snaps in relief of Daniels in two games last year.

The No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft completed 77% of his passes last year, throwing for 364 yards while tossing four touchdowns without any interceptions.

Quinn said he feels confident in the journeyman’s ability to step in.

“If called upon, we would certainly expect Marcus to deliver in the fashion that he does. He has been like a real standard as a Commander, player, teammate in elite ways,” Quinn said, noting that the game plan only shifts slightly. “For all the guys, we have ways that we feature them and how we play if called upon, and that’s what we do. But we have the utmost confidence.”

The vote of support from his coach has the 31-year-old Mariota ready to roll on Sunday.

“It’s huge, really. I think that’s what’s been awesome about this team,” he said. “We preach it every day, but the brotherhood, the connection, regardless of how this situation plays out, just knowing that the guys have my back gives me confidence.”

Mariota, a Heisman Trophy winner in his own right, has been a starting quarterback in the past. With a veteran ability to process opposing defenses and a solid — if less spectacular — scrambling ability, the Commanders don’t expect a drop-off with their backup quarterback under center. 

“I don’t think it’s too much different,” said Deebo Samuel, Washington’s leading receiver through two games. “I have all the confidence in the world. Marcus is still in this league for a reason.”

Daniels is only one of a slew of injuries the Commanders suffered in the Week 2 loss in Green Bay. Wide receiver Noah Brown and tight end John Bates are both dealing with groin injuries.

Quinn called Brown and Bates “long shots” to play this weekend. Like Daniels, they’ll be reassessed after the week’s practices. Neither of them worked with their teammates on Wednesday.

“I’m still on a ‘wait and see’ with a couple guys,” the coach said.

A handful of players — defensive end Deatrich Wise, running back Austin Ekeler and cornerback Jonathan Jones — have already been ruled out and placed on injured reserve. Wise and Ekeler will miss the remainder of the season with Achilles and quad injuries, respectively. Jones could return from his hamstring injury after a minimum of four games.

A familiar face is coming back to Washington to fill Wise’s spot. The Commanders signed free-agent pass-rusher Preston Smith on Wednesday. The 2015 second-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career in the District.

Smith will help fill Wise’s role on the defensive front. The 32-year-old Smith has recorded 70.5 sacks in a 10-year career that has featured stops with the Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers since leaving Washington after the 2018 season.

Quinn hinted earlier in the week that the Commanders could look outside the building for a big-bodied defensive end.

“We’ve actually discussed Preston for a while, edge, he’s strong, with proven pass rush ability. We like to size, too. …” Quinn said. “You can tell he’s a bright guy, but you can tell he really worked hard to get himself in shape to be ready for the opportunity when it came.”