Jayden Daniels’ elbow MRI results in holding pattern as Commanders prepare for Seattle without their franchise QB
Washington is staring down a midweek holding pattern with no concrete answers on Daniels, while a string of other injury updates complicates the Week 3 picture against Seattle.
The Washington Commanders received an update on quarterback Jayden Daniels’ dislocated left elbow Monday, and the news landed somewhere between reassuring and agonizing.
Per Tashan Reed, coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Daniels had an MRI on his dislocated left elbow today and will consult specialists over the next few days to determine a recovery plan. Quinn added that there will likely be no real update on Daniels until Thursday or Friday, meaning Washington’s fan base is staring down a midweek holding pattern with no concrete answers.
That timeline matters. It means Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent waiting, speculating and refreshing feeds for a diagnosis that isn’t coming yet.
The brace debate isn’t going anywhere
JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reported that Quinn didn’t have a clear answer on whether there was ever a discussion about an elbow brace for Daniels. This has been a major point of contention in Washington football since the injury. Quinn’s response was measured: “Hindsight is awesome, but don’t have the luxury on that.”
Finlay continued with his own assessment: “My guess is a brace would come from the medical side, not football.”
There will be no shortage of Twitter medical experts weighing in on whether a brace would have helped, whether it would have mattered after last year’s elbow issues, why he wasn’t wearing a substantial one. We’re not doing that here. With a timetable for Thursday or Friday already established, speculation accomplishes nothing.
The real question is whether Daniels opts for surgery to repair the elbow or pursues a more conservative recovery path, and that answer belongs to the medical team & the specialists he’s consulting.
Other injury updates paint a complicated Week 3 picture
Beyond Daniels, Finlay reported several additional injury updates from Quinn. Offensive tackle Brandon Coleman: “all signs look good to go.” Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw: Quinn said they “anticipate he will be limited.” Kinlaw needed an MRI on his shoulder. And right guard Sam Cosmi is in concussion protocol.
The Cosmi situation deserves its own conversation. As a former offensive lineman, I feel equipped to speak on this. Offensive linemen typically absorb collisions within a yard of the line of scrimmage, repeated head-on-head contact from short distances. Kaytron Allen ran into Cosmi with a full head of steam from 5-plus yards away. That is not typical. Offensive linemen don’t have the built-up tolerance for that type of hit the way a running back, linebacker, or tight end might. Allen hit him right on the button, right under the chin. The way Cosmi immediately fell to his knees, the visuals from the sideline after, it looked severe. I would expect he will not play this week, and honestly, he could be out for 2-plus weeks.
Washington will likely be without its best offensive lineman against Seattle. Suboptimal.
So what now?
Washington appears to be rolling into Seattle with Marcus Mariota as the likely starting quarterback, Coleman back at left tackle, Kinlaw questionable, and Cosmi likely out. That’s a tough hand.
Washington isn’t the only team without its starting quarterback right now, though. Seattle is dealing with it too. The Seahawks won a game on Sunday with Drew Lock, and 1-to-1, I’m probably taking Mariota over Lock. One single injury shouldn’t be enough to derail this team.
Franchise quarterback is different. We all understand that & can contextualize how important Daniels is to everything Washington wants to build. But this team has shown enough positives through two weeks that I’m refusing to wave the white flag on the season. Weird stuff happens in the NFL. Teams that want to fight, fight. They’ve got another game this week & another 14 after that.
