Jayden Daniels' Elbow Injury a 'Nightmare' for Commanders

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has been diagnosed with a dislocated left elbow, an injury mirroring the one that sidelined him for three games last season. The severity of the injury was confirmed following his departure from Sunday's 37-20 loss to the Cowboys.

Daniels will consult with a variety of experts in the coming days as the team follows its established protocol for such injuries. In his absence, veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota is slated to start for the Commanders in Week 3 when they host the Seattle Seahawks.

Last season, the dislocation did not require surgery but contributed to an injury-plagued campaign for Daniels. He played in only seven games, suffering a left knee sprain in Week 2, a hamstring strain two weeks after returning, and then the elbow dislocation in Week 9. He returned in Week 14 but was shut down after sustaining a hard fall on the same elbow.

The Commanders face a challenging stretch of opponents through Week 10, including games against the Seahawks, Colts, Giants (twice), 49ers, Eagles, Rams, and Bengals. The upcoming schedule intensifies concerns about the team's performance with Mariota under center during Daniels' recovery period.