Commanders face a silent adversary threatening to derail their NFL season ambitions

The Washington Commanders were one of last season’s pleasant surprises in the NFL, with Jayden Daniels emerging as their standout star. Unfortunately for Dan Quinn, things haven’t gone as planned this year, with a significant challenge throwing roadblocks in their path week after week.

What’s at the heart of it all? The dreaded injuries, with the Commanders being one of the teams hit hardest. The recent news of their star quarterback’s elbow injury casts serious doubt over the near future for a team that had higher hopes at the start of the season.

Deebo Samuel, one of the offensive players added to the team in the last offseason, didn’t hold back when addressing the recent struggles the team has faced in the past few weeks. Undoubtedly, with a healthy roster, the results might have been very different.

The former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver said that Jayden Daniel‘s injury “took all the air out of the ball”, per John Keim of ESPN. “It’s like, jeez, we can’t catch a break.”

Deebo Samuel Sr. #1 of the Washington Commanders.

What’s going on with Jayden Daniels?

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will miss extended time after suffering a dislocated left elbow in Sunday’s game. While the injury looked gruesome and initially feared to be season-ending, the team received positive news: tests confirmed Daniels avoided ligament damage and will not require surgery.

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The young QB will be ruled out for at least the next few games, but the non-surgical nature of the injury provides a slim lifeline for the Commanders, keeping the door open for a potential return later this season.

Injury wave hits the Commanders

The Washington Commanders’ 2025 campaign has been defined by a relentless wave of injuries that has decimated both sides of the ball. Most critically, quarterback Jayden Daniels has struggled to stay on the field, missing time with knee and hamstring issues before suffering a dislocated elbow that has sidelined him indefinitely.

He is joined on the sideline by star wide receiver Terry McLaurin (quad), whose consistent presence in the passing game has been sorely missed. Defensively, the team has also been hit hard, losing starting cornerback Marshon Lattimore for the season with a torn ACL, severely testing the depth of a unit already battling to keep opponents in check.