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After a 2025 season with countless injuries, the Washington Commanders are continuing the trend into 2026 as they already have a laundry list of injuries on their roster. Jayden Daniels was ruled out on Monday as they continue to wait for further testing and opinions on the severity of his elbow injury. Dan Quinn announced that Marcus Mariota will start in his place on Sunday against the Seahawks as they attempt to prevent a 0-3 start.
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Nick Cross was hospitalized Sunday after the game, remaining in Dallas overnight before flying back to D.C. on Monday. Cross is dealing with an ‘internal injury’ keeping him sidelined for Week 3. Quinn has not elaborated any further on the specifics or severity of the injury. Cross joined the team through free agency this spring and started in both games of the season so far. With 11 total tackles, Cross leads the team in tackles-for-loss (3) and is in a three-way tie for solo tackles (8).
After missing the first game of his NFL career last week, Chig Okonkwo is currently listed as day-to-day. Frankie Luvu and Javon Kinlaw are also currently waiting till later in the week to evaluate their availability for Week 3. Offensive guard Sam Cosmi is currently in concussion protocol after exiting the game late in the second half.
Who is the next man up?
Marcus Mariota has already been announced as the starter for Week 3 and will likely be their guy going forward if Daniels is out for an extended amount of time. Mariota posted a 2-6 record as a starter in 2025. While Mariota has plenty of experience under his belt and plays in a similar dual-threat style to Daniels, he has certainly lost a step with age and acts as a ‘game manager’ rather than a true X-factor like he once was.
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In Okonkwo’s absence, John Bates, Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff all rotated at the tight end position. All three are viewed as blocking tight ends rather than pass-catchers, severely limiting the playbook for offensive coordinator David Blough.
As a leader in the secondary, Nick Cross’ presence on the defense will certainly be missed against a dynamic Seahawks offense. The Commanders’ depth chart currently lists Tyler Owens as the backup strong safety. With limited time on defense, Owens has made a fast name for himself on special teams with his speed and powerful tackling. While no one wants to lose their job to injuries, this could be the moment that Owens needs to become a regular piece on the defense.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 12:08 PM.