Nfl Insider Drops Honest Take On Marcus Mariota After Jayden Daniels

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 4:20 AM

nfl insider drops honest take on marcus mariota after jayden daniels

On Sunday morning, the Washington Commanders hit the field in Spain to take on the Miami Dolphins, looking to push their record to 4-7 on the 2025 NFL season and keep their faint playoff... Jayden Daniels missed this game, one of several he's been forced to sit out this year due to injury, and it was once again backup quarterback Marcus Mariota taking his place against Miami. Unfortunately for the Commanders, Mariota too went out with an injury in this game, opening the door for Josh Johnson to enter the game, per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team on X, formerly... Mariota walked around for a few moments after getting hit by a Dolphins defender and then took a seat on the turf. However, the good news was that he was cleared to return to the game after being evaluated for a concussion, per the Commanders. Overall, it's just the latest development in what has been a nightmarish season for the Commanders on the heels of their NFC Championship Game run a year ago.

Injuries have been a major issue for Washington throughout the year this season, with Daniels and several other players missing time due to various ailments, and the team overall has taken a step back... Commanders Turn to Marcus Mariota After Jayden Daniels Injury: Can the Veteran QB Steady the Ship? The Washington Commanders were dealt a tough blow in Sunday night’s 38-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went down with a painful-looking elbow injury. It was the kind of moment that makes you hold your breath - Daniels stayed down, and the replay didn’t do anyone’s stomach any favors. Initial fears were that the injury could be season-ending, but there’s now a bit of optimism: Daniels is expected to miss “several games,” not the entire season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That still leaves Washington in a tough spot.

Enter Marcus Mariota. The veteran quarterback, who’s spent the season mentoring Daniels and serving as a steady presence in the QB room, now finds himself back in the spotlight. Mariota’s job? Keep the Commanders afloat in a season that’s teetering on the edge. Washington sits at 3-6, and with the high-powered Detroit Lions on deck, the challenge couldn’t be more real. Every starting quarterback needs a strong backup — and the Washington Commanders know that all too well.

Every team doesn't need a backup quarterback that can ball out like a starter, but rather someone who can also be a strong mentor, teacher, coach and teammate. The Commanders have that with Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, and the latter explained how special Washington's starting quarterback can be in his second season. READ MORE: Commanders set to reveal bold new look with upcoming uniform announcement "“It was really unique for me, because I felt like I was kind of reliving my career, in a sense, where I was trying to help guide him in this, in ways where maybe... The Commanders were without Jayden Daniels on Sunday, and they may have been better. Yes, it may actually be true that, at least for this game, the Commanders' offense might have been more efficient and effective without last season's offensive rookie of the year, Daniels.

In the first half, Mariota had three incompletions, and two were drops by his fellow Commanders. The "backup" quarterback finished the day completing 15 of his 21 passing attempts. Now, Commanders Wire is NOT advocating for Daniels to be replaced by Mariota. But, we are also not denying some of the reality that is Mariota, the "backup." Two things jumped out in the Raiders game, regarding Mariota. Did you also notice how composed Mariota was on his touchdown run?

He had the clarity of mind to head to the end zone, get down, and avoid contact. He was not only thinking about getting the touchdown, he was thinking "be smart for the long term." The Washington Commanders are going to need to rattle off some wins to save their season. They're going to have to do it with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota as the new starter in place of the injured Jayden Daniels. Mariota's new stint starts Sunday in Week 10. The Commanders take on the Detroit Lions in the late afternoon window.

In a bit of irony, Mariota was once the No. 2 overall pick, just like the player he is replacing, Daniels. The Commanders and their fanbase will hope he can play like a guy once drafted that high. The Commanders’ turnaround from a four-win team to the NFC Championship Game last year has made them a potential Super Bowl contender overnight. Coming into 2025, they are one of the most dangerous teams, thanks to improvements on defense and continuing refinement of the weapons around superstar franchise QB Jayden Daniels. Unfortunately, the goodwill from last season lasted just one week as they ran into a buzzsaw in Week 2 in the form of the Green Bay Packers.

Being dominated, their record stood at 1-1, albeit with a winnable game against the Las Vegas Raiders on the horizon in Week 3. However, in a shocking development, a different second-round pick will be the starting quarterback for Washington in that game. But why is Marcus Mariota getting the starter nod? During their 27-18 Week 2 loss to Green Bay, a stifling Packers defense featuring EDGE Micah Parsons did a number on Daniels. He finished with just 200 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing less than 60% of his passing attempts. His ability to run the ball, too, didn’t create much of a difference, as he added just 17 yards on the ground on seven carries.

A major reason for that drop off turned out to be a knee injury that lingered for Daniels throughout the week. The Washington Commanders are staring down a critical stretch in their season, and they'll be doing it with a new face under center. With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels sidelined due to injury, veteran Marcus Mariota steps in as the starter heading into Week 10’s matchup against the Detroit Lions. It’s a pivotal moment for a Commanders team trying to stay in the hunt, and Mariota’s opportunity comes with more than a touch of irony. Like Daniels, Mariota was once the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Now, nearly a decade removed from that selection, he’s being asked to channel some of that early-career promise to steady a team in need of direction. Daniels went down in rough fashion during the Commanders’ Week 9 loss on Sunday Night Football. With the team trailing by 31 points late in the fourth quarter, Daniels took off on a scramble - something fans have already come to expect from the dynamic rookie. But the play ended with a hard takedown and an ugly-looking injury to his left arm. The way his arm bent on the fall was alarming, and the diagnosis confirmed it: a dislocated elbow. Trainers immediately immobilized the arm in a cast, and Daniels was helped off the field.

Considering how painful and awkward the injury looked in real time, the initial concern was that Daniels could be out for an extended stretch. But there’s a bit of optimism coming out of Washington. The Washington Commanders are staring down a critical stretch in their season, and they'll be doing it with a new face under center. With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels sidelined due to injury, veteran Marcus Mariota steps in as the starter heading into Week 10’s matchup against the Detroit Lions. It’s a pivotal moment for a Commanders team trying to stay in the hunt, and Mariota’s opportunity comes with more than a touch of irony. Like Daniels, Mariota was once the No.

2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Now, nearly a decade removed from that selection, he’s being asked to channel some of that early-career promise to steady a team in need of direction. Daniels went down in rough fashion during the Commanders’ Week 9 loss on Sunday Night Football. With the team trailing by 31 points late in the fourth quarter, Daniels took off on a scramble - something fans have already come to expect from the dynamic rookie. But the play ended with a hard takedown and an ugly-looking injury to his left arm. The way his arm bent on the fall was alarming, and the diagnosis confirmed it: a dislocated elbow.

Trainers immediately immobilized the arm in a cast, and Daniels was helped off the field. Considering how painful and awkward the injury looked in real time, the initial concern was that Daniels could be out for an extended stretch. But there’s a bit of optimism coming out of Washington. The Washington Commanders may be without their starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders after suffering a knee injury in Week 2. That means that Marcus Mariota will slot in as the starter if he's sidelined. As of now, it looks like Mariota could possibly be the QB1 after the Commanders' latest move, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.

“Marcus Mariota will talk at the podium today. Not Jayden Daniels. If Daniels is not ruled out Friday, he’ll talk then. The Commanders took the same approach last year ahead of the Bears game when Daniels had a rib injury. We know how that one ended,” Jhabvala wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Daniels ended up playing in that game against the Bears, which turned into a thriller when he got the Commanders a win after a Hail Mary touchdown at the end.

There's a chance that Daniels can still play in Week 3, and he still has a few days to show up to practice before the game. Head coach Dan Quinn noted that Daniels had a good rehab session and threw out on the field, but he won't practice today, according to Jhabvala. In the event that he doesn't practice or play, Mariota will be ready. In three relief appearances for the Commanders last season, Mariota completed 34 of his 44 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. The last time he started was in 2022 with the Atlanta Falcons.

Nfl Insider Drops Honest Take On Marcus Mariota After Jayden Daniels

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