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Jayden Daniels is out once again.
The Washington Commanders quarterback is expected to miss at least a week after dislocating his left elbow against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, head coach Dan Quinn said.
The timeline for Daniels’ return is still unknown. Daniels had imaging done on Monday and will see specialists on Tuesday and Wednesday to determine next steps.
Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota will start against the Seahawks. Quinn deferred to the doctors on whether Daniels will need surgery and said he will know more later in the week.
This is the third time Washington’s young quarterback has injured his left elbow. The first injury occurred against the Seattle Seahawks last year in Week 9, when he dislocated his elbow while being tackled.
Daniels missed several weeks then tried to return against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14. He aggravated the injury less than two quarters into the game when he was hit with a block during an interception return. Washington shut him down for the season.
The Commanders spent the offseason installing a new offense, trying to insulate him from hits.
But a fluke play in Dallas, where Daniels tripped on his own lineman’s foot, caused Daniels to fall awkwardly. When he braced his fall with his left arm, his elbow popped out of place again. He was never hit.
Daniels underwent X-rays in Dallas, which revealed no fracture.
In theory, surgery would provide more stability. It would strengthen the elbow and make another dislocation less likely. Without surgery, the elbow is easier to reinjure because the surrounding ligaments weaken after each dislocation, according to Stanford Health.
Daniels opted against surgery last year. Quinn said it was never discussed.
If Daniels returns after a few weeks, he will likely need to play with an arm brace. He played with a brace when he returned in Minnesota last year.
Safety Nick Cross, another starter, stayed overnight in a Dallas hospital, dealing with what Quinn described as “an internal injury.” Quinn declined to go into specifics but indicated Cross was discharged Monday and flying back to D.C.




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