By admin 
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) does not have a return timetable after dislocating his left elbow against the Dallas Cowboys, and the organization’s most important decision may be resisting any urge to make one quickly. Daniels is undergoing imaging and specialist evaluations after a second dislocation of the same elbow in less than a year, putting the focus on long-term stability rather than a short-term comeback.
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Locked On Commanders host David Harrison argued that the repeat injury changes the framing for Washington. A single dislocation can be treated as an isolated football injury; another injury to the same joint forces the team to determine whether ligament damage, lingering instability, or another structural issue contributed to the recurrence. Harrison stressed that those possibilities are questions for Daniels’ medical specialists, not a diagnosis.
Daniels first dislocated the elbow against the Seattle Seahawks on November 2, 2025, missed three games, and later dealt with pain in the same arm before his season ended. The latest injury came when Daniels stumbled near the goal line before halftime in Dallas and used his left arm to brace his fall. Initial X-rays showed no fracture, but the Commanders had not announced whether bracing, rehabilitation, surgery, or a combination of those paths will be necessary.
Harrison’s central point was that Daniels’ job makes a lower standard of recovery impractical. The quarterback will be exposed to hits, scrambles, and falls whenever he returns, so simply reaching a point where he can play cannot be the finish line. A brace could be part of his recovery plan, Harrison said, but he cautioned that any projection involving offseason surgery or an in-season return remains speculation until Washington receives its full medical evaluation.
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Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota is set to start against the Seattle Seahawks while Daniels is sidelined. The immediate roster question behind him is rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, the only other active passer identified by Harrison for Week 3. Harrison suggested the Commanders could consider veteran insurance if Daniels’ absence becomes longer, but he did not make the case for replacing Mariota as the starter.
Washington’s record and upcoming schedule will create pressure for a fast answer. The larger risk is treating an early return as a solution if it raises the chance of another setback for a quarterback the franchise needs well beyond the 2026 season. The specialist findings — not the calendar — should determine the next step.
Dan Quinn is expected to address Daniels’ status after the specialist consultations. Until the Commanders know whether the elbow is structurally stable, Mariota’s start against Seattle is the only firm quarterback decision in place.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 11:42 AM.