Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who underwent an MRI following the Week 2 loss to the Packers, was diagnosed with a knee sprain, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported.

If Daniels can’t play on Sunday due to the knee injury, backup Marcus Mariota would get his first start since 2022. He played in three games for the Commanders last season, his first with the team. Josh Johnson is the team’s third-string QB, and he would be active as Mariota’s backup on game day.

To add insult to injury the Commanders also lost two keys players to season-ending injuries as running back Austin Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles and defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. was diagnosed with a torn left quadriceps.

After getting banged up during Washington’s loss to Green Bay on Thursday, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels underwent an MRI. The star sophomore has since been diagnosed with a knee sprain, putting his status for Week 3 in doubt, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo ( and via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra ).

ESPN’s Mina Kimes warns about Jayden Daniels’ durability as the Commanders QB deals with a knee sprain and heavy contact through two weeks.

They'll be rivals on Thursday night, but they were roommates this summer. Jayden Daniels opens up about his friendship with the Washington Commanders' Week 2 op

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is wearing a sticker of a Japanese flag on the back of his helmet to honor his great grandmother.

There wasn't a lot of dispute with the Chicago Bears' selection at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, when they took Caleb Williams out of USC. That left Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner from LSU, to the Washington Commanders at No. 2.