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Injured Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. Amber Searls-Imagn Images

As Week 4 prep begins, Commanders are facing an injury crisis

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Washington Commanders are three weeks into the 2025 NFL Season, so they're far from perfect, though nobody should have expected them to be.

Twice, the Commanders have imposed their will upon an opponent, and once, they've found themselves on the receiving end of the will of another.

The good news is, no matter what areas need to be corrected in wins or losses, there are plenty of things the team can do to heal whatever ails them. The bad news is that the physical issues affecting several Washington players can't be fixed with film study and practice reps.

A Battered Roster

While the team got back in the win column Sunday, it once again got in the injury column with safety Will Harris suffering a broken fibula and receiver Terry McLaurin injuring his quad. Harris was subsequently placed on injured reserve, and McLaurin's status is currently up in the air for Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Before landing on IR, Harris had been an "absolutely fantastic addition," head coach Dan Quinn said, highlighting his speed and coverage ability. After the move, the Commanders signed free agent safety Darnell Savage who most recently played for the Jacksonville Jaguars before being released this season.

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Quarterback Question

New injuries are bad enough, but the idea that Washington may need to play the next game without its star quarterback is still lingering over Ashburn as the team reconvenes to get ready for Week 4 on Wednesday.

While Quinn labeled Jayden Daniels as a true "day to day" last week, and he was limited in Friday's practice, there remains no clear picture about whether or not the quarterback will be good to go this weekend. The silver lining there is that Marcus Mariota has played exceptionally well in his three serious playing time opportunities with the Commanders, including last weekend when his 118+ passer rating helped lead the team to a convincing win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

After losing a game, running back Austin Ekeler, defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr., and cornerback Jonathan Jones to the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, the Commanders needed a week of healthy football and a win. They got half of that.

The lone bit of early good news the team received on the injury front is that cornerback Marshon Lattimore was cleared from concussion protocol after leaving during the win over the Raiders on Sunday.

Meanwhile, tight end John Bates and receiver Noah Brown are also working their way back, making the injury report an even more important piece of information than usual as the week gets started.

A 'Big, Deep Crew' Put to the Test

Fortunately, none of this business is new to Quinn, who said previously this season that, "having this 70-man roster (including the practice squad), you've heard me say it's going to take everybody...you need a big deep crew."

On Sunday, Washington proved it is, in fact, a deep crew. We just wish the injury bug wasn't trying to make it prove it so much.