Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin out vs. Falcons

ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will miss his second consecutive game — and this time will be joined on the sideline by receiver Terry McLaurin.

Coach Dan Quinn ruled out both players for Sunday’s game against the Falcons (1-2) in Atlanta.

The Commanders (2-1) will start Marcus Mariota at quarterback; he started 13 games for Atlanta in 2022.

Quinn also said John Bates (groin/calf), his top blocking tight end, and receiver Noah Brown (groin/knee) won’t play Sunday.

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None of these players were at practice during the portion open to the media Friday.

Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (knee) was at Friday’s practice after not practicing Wednesday and Thursday. Quinn said he had a good practice.

“He’s working incredibly hard round the clock to get back,” Quinn said. “Ultimately doctors haven’t cleared him just yet. He’s absolutely doing everything he possibly can.”

Daniels sprained his left knee in a Week 2 loss at Green Bay, getting hit with a helmet at the end of a scramble on the first play of the fourth quarter. He remained in the game but was seen limping noticeably afterward. He was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday, and while he went through agility work — the quarterbacks step over bags and then shuffle backward and forward to simulate pocket movement — he did so at around half speed while wearing a brace.

Mariota started in a 41-24 Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. It was the third game since the start of last season where Mariota replaced an injured Daniels, and he’s completed 48-of-62 passes for 573 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in that stretch.

Mariota has talked about how much he likes playing in the Commanders offense, and teammates have said he excels at the quick passing game and the run-pass options favored by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

But Mariota said it goes beyond scheme. The second overall pick in 2015 by Tennessee, he started 61 of the 63 games he played over five years with the Titans; since then, he’s started 14 of 31 games for four teams.

“I’ve always had a belief,” he said. “It was just hoping for the opportunity. I never loved the circumstance where I have to come in and play, but I was grateful for it and thankful to play.”

McLaurin suffered a right quad injury with 4 minutes, 47 seconds left in the third quarter against the Raiders while stretching for the goal line while being tackled at the end of a 56-yard catch. McLaurin has played in 72 consecutive games, with his last missed game coming in Week 16 of the 2020 season.

Because of injuries and one benching, the Commanders will only have five projected offensive starters from before the season for Sunday’s game.

“When you have two guys that have been reliable, made a lot of plays in this league,” Kingsbury said, “you’ve got to find other ways to get guys touches and move the football any way you can.

“It’s just always about maximizing your personnel. It doesn’t matter who’s up, who’s down. As a play caller, you’ve got to be able to adjust and maximize the guys you have and what do they do best and put them in those positions to be successful. Our staff takes a lot of pride in that.”