Commanders fans enduring a nightmarish season are hungry for a silver lining. With stars like quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Terry McLaurin and cornerback Marshon Lattimore out with injuries, they’ll have to turn to fresh faces for a glimmer of hope.
With several players sidelined for the foreseeable future, Washington has adopted a next-man-up mentality.
The “next man” at several positions is a rookie or second-year player eager for a shot to prove themselves.
Fans have been clamoring for linebacker Jordan Magee, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft, to receive more playing time on Washington’s beleaguered defense. Though defensive signal-caller Bobby Wagner and second-team All-Pro linebacker Frankie Luvu anchor the linebacker group, Magee’s playing time has steadily increased as the season progresses.
He’s impressed his teammates and coaches.
“The best of the best, they can play square but have the quickness and the range to go from side to side without having to turn and run,” Quinn said. “Jordan has that, and so I’m excited to see him develop, and you know he’s going to continue to develop and make more.”
“He’s been great,” Wagner, an 11-time All-Pro, said of Magee. “He’s flying around, making plays, energy, embracing his role. He’s going to be a great one, for sure.”
Magee’s potential path to greatness begins with this season as he continues to learn on the fly.
Quinn is experimenting across the defense. His group ranks near the bottom of the league in points and yards per game, with few reasons for optimism.
Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. is moving from the booth to the sideline to call plays this week.
Personnel groups are changing with Magee taking more snaps, cornerback Mike Sainristil potentially moving outside from the slot and safety Tyler Owens joining the defensive unit.
Owens, a second-year safety from Texas Tech, has started taking snaps on defense after working exclusively on special teams as a rookie with the Commanders. The results have been mixed.
Owens has flashed the speed and athleticism that caught scouts’ eyes coming out of college. The ball skills still need work.
Opposing offenses have targeted Owens twice in coverage over the last two weeks. Both passes were caught for touchdowns.
The former undrafted free agent is still learning how to cover in the NFL, but the physical traits are promising.
“He’s a big body. He can match up with your tall tight ends, your long receivers but then also come in the box to make tackles,” Wagner said. “It’s his versatility.”
The defense isn’t the only group adjusting on the fly. Washington’s offense has been ravaged by injuries.
Daniels is out, with veteran Marcus Mariota expected to start for the foreseeable future. The second-year quarterback avoided the injured reserve list on Wednesday. Quinn said the team’s medical staff was preparing for a final meeting to discuss the signal-caller’s status going forward.
Running back Austin Ekeler is still out for the season after suffering an Achilles injury in Week 2.
McLaurin is sidelined indefinitely with a quad issue, while fellow pass-catchers Noah Brown and Luke McCaffrey landed on injured reserve with groin and collarbone injuries, respectively.
That has opened the window for rookie Jaylin Lane. The fourth-rounder from Virginia Tech entered the season primarily as a returner. The young receiver, like so many of his teammates, has had an up-and-down campaign.
A punt return touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders justified the constant offseason praise from Washington’s coaching staff. Lane is also the only Washington receiver with at least one reception in each game this season.
But the rookie has already recorded three fumbles already this season, including one on a kick return on Sunday that led to an immediate touchdown for the opposition.
He’s keeping spirits high amid a rookie campaign that Lane said has been, generally, good.
“It definitely sucks when guys go down. It’s part of the game though,” Lane said. “But we just got to continue to work at practice, get extra reps when we need to, things like that. I’m just trying to elevate my play each and every week, so it’s no drop-off from the top down.”
Keeping despair from filling the locker room has been an uphill battle for Quinn and the Commanders.
“The mental toll is a big one. … Collectively, as a team, everybody goes through it — hard things,” the coach said. “You find your way and you adapt, but better acknowledge it, talk about it and find the best plan moving forward.”
At 3-6 with their quarterback out for the foreseeable future, Washington would require a miracle to save the season.
Most analytical models, like those published by ESPN and The Athletic, give the Commanders a 1% chance of making the postseason with eight games remaining.
Don’t tell Quinn that. He acknowledged that the onslaught of injuries presents “continuity issues,” but refused to count his squad out of any game left on the schedule.
“Each game is winnable. You have to say, ‘This is how we do it for this game,’” Quinn said. “That may look different week-to-week, but for us, that’s where the focus goes.”
The Commanders host the 5-3 Detroit Lions on Sunday as heavy underdogs.