Mariota has MCL sprain; Daniels returns to full practice — SkimNews
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- Marcus Mariota suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee during Sunday's 30-13 loss in London when he was sacked by Colts defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore on third-and-goal from the 6-yard line; the same injury he sustained in an Aug. 14 preseason game.
- Jayden Daniels will practice in full this week with the hope of starting Sunday against the visiting New York Giants; he has played a full game just five times since the start of the 2025 season due to a dislocated left elbow.
- Seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis relieved Mariota and went 15-of-33 for 183 yards with one touchdown and one interception in his first NFL action.
- Dan Quinn said the Commanders want to evaluate Mariota's progress before deciding whether to add another quarterback; Mariota had led field goal drives on his only two series Sunday for a 6-0 lead before the injury.
- Jaylin Lane suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle on a kick return Sunday, ending his season; the punt and kick returner had averaged 13.7 yards per punt return with two touchdowns last season.
- Terry McLaurin's status is uncertain after missing Sunday's game with a hamstring injury sustained in Friday's practice, while safety Nick Cross, right guard Sam Cosmi, and running back Rachaad White could also return.
- The Commanders fell to 1-3 with the London loss and play at the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 19 before their bye week.
Why it matters: At 1-3, Washington is now operating with a 7th-round rookie as its only healthy quarterback beyond a starter who has finished a full game just five times this year. Mariota's MCL sprain — the same injury that sidelined him in August — creates immediate pressure to sign a third QB before facing the Giants, while a season-ending injury to returner Jaylin Lane further depletes a thin roster.
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