Overview
- Daniels suffered a second dislocation of his left elbow on Sept. 20 and underwent imaging and consultations with multiple specialists over the following days.
- General manager Adam Peters said Friday that surgery is not being considered now and the team has not discussed placing Daniels on injured reserve, and the quarterback is ruled out for Week 3 and treated as week-to-week.
- Washington and Daniels agreed to pursue a non‑surgical plan that includes wearing a protective brace and guided rehab based on specialist input, and Marcus Mariota will start in his place this weekend.
- The team’s choice not to use injured reserve signals an expectation Daniels could return in under four weeks because IR would require a minimum four-game absence, but insiders report offseason surgery remains a likely fallback if he plays through the year.
- The decision raises immediate questions about whether Daniels will travel for the Week 4 London game, and it places near-term pressure on a 0-2 Commanders roster that must rely on Mariota while protecting Daniels’ long-term health.