Jayden Daniels, Out Due to Injury for the Commanders
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not play on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a low-grade hamstring strain, according to sources.
Daniels underwent an MRI on Monday that did not reveal long-term damage to his right hamstring. However, the Commanders prefer not to risk a possible relapse against the Chiefs.
Marcus Mariota will be the starter for the third time this season instead of Daniels.
Mariota replaced Daniels when he was injured with 11:53 minutes left in the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Mariota completed 4 of 10 passes for 63 yards and threw an interception that cornerback DaRon Bland returned for a touchdown.
Daniels suffered a sprain in his left knee when he received a blow to the head at the end of a play against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, which forced him to miss the next two games. The Commanders had a 1-1 record in those games, with the offense scoring a total of 61 points.
Daniels, who won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award last year, and the Commanders have struggled to replicate their success from the 2024 season, as injuries have impacted Washington’s passing attack.
He has thrown for 1,031 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception, while also rushing for 211 yards and a touchdown. Daniels had two costly turnovers, including a late fumble, in the 25-24 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 6.
Has a total QBR of 51.4 (out of 100). Last year, he finished with a QBR of 67.7.
Receiver Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) has missed four games, although coach Dan Quinn said Tuesday on Sirius XM radio that McLaurin is on track to practice this week. There was optimism that McLaurin would practice last week, but that changed after he was evaluated after a light practice on Wednesday.
Quinn said the same about receiver Deebo Samuel, who missed Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys due to a heel contusion. Another receiver, Noah Brown, is on the injured reserve list and hasn’t played since Week 2 due to a groin injury.
If McLaurin and Samuel return, that would provide a big boost for Mariota. In his two starts, Mariota completed a total of 31 of 48 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He posted a QBR of 68.6.
