One week after losing Pro Bowl offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, the Commanders are dealing with another impactful injury.

Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota sprained his MCL in a preseason game against the Dolphins and will miss several weeks. The injury should take him out the remainder of the preseason, and his return date is unknown.

“I’m optimistic he will be ready for the regular season,” head coach Dan Quinn said Sunday.

Mariota provided Washington with much-needed security behind Jayden Daniels. The rest of the quarterback room is thin, with Sam Hartman and seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis.

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Mariota played a critical role when Daniels dealt with injuries most of last season. He came in during an emergency in Las Vegas and won a game, throwing for 207 yards and a touchdown. He finished the year with 1,695 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

This offseason, Washington re-signed Mariota to a one-year deal as an insurance option in case Daniels goes down.

The Commanders aren’t planning on signing another quarterback to add depth — hoping Mariota returns.

“At this time, we don’t anticipate anybody else coming in,” Quinn said. “It just means more reps with Sam and Athan in the spot.”

Mariota’s injury could also affect how Washington uses Daniels in the preseason. The team could be more conservative with him seeing live snaps, knowing the backup spot is uncertain. Quinn will decide if Daniels plays against the Lions next week after practices finish.

“As far as starters and what we do, some of it will depend on what I am seeing Tuesday and Wednesday [in training camp],” Quinn said. “We got a bunch of situations I am trying to work through. Two minutes, four minutes, some goal-line stuff. This is our most heightened training camp block yet. I am excited to see that. We haven’t got to planning for the game yet.”