Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a pretty gruesome injury during his team’s 38–14 blowout loss to the Seahawks on Sunday night.
In the fourth quarter of what was already an inevitable defeat, Daniels pulled a read-option from the two-yard line before trying to shake off a Seattle defender, and landed awkwardly on his left arm. The second-year quarterback left the game with trainers by his side and was replaced by backup Marcus Mariota.
Mariota, 32, has started three games for Washington this season while Daniels has dealt with multiple other ailments. He’s gone 1–2 in those starts, throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions, and has also added a rushing score across four total appearances.
Given their now-3-6 record to begin the 2025 campaign, the Commanders are likely to ride with Mariota (should Daniels miss time) over going to the free agent or trade market for another starter. But who's next in line behind the veteran? And who else could Washington potentially turn to that's on their roster?
Here’s a look at the Commanders’s quarterback depth chart:
Commanders QB Depth Chart
Sam Hartman, 26, was signed by the Commanders as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame in the spring of 2024. He’s spent most of his tenure in Washington on the practice squad, signing to their active roster for only a few weeks last season after Mariota went down with an injury.
Josh Johnson, meanwhile, is the prototypical journeyman. The 39-year-old has spent time with 12 NFL teams—a league record, which includes a previous stay with Washington in 2018—as well as stints in the UFL, AAF, and XFL.
The Commanders will take on the Lions next Sunday, Nov. 9 for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. While it’s likely that they'll go big-game hunting, there’s certainly a chance that they make some sort of smaller move at the quarterback position before then.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Commanders QB Depth Chart: Washington’s Options After Jayden Daniels Injury.