It's been one major issue after another for the Washington Commanders this season. These have primarily centered on the constant stream of injury problems head coach Dan Quinn is currently dealing with.
The injury bug has been relentless, with new long-term issues arriving almost every week. Second-round rookie cornerback Trey Amos was the latest to go on the shelf, suffering a fractured fibula against the Detroit Lions that brings his immensely encouraging first season to an abrupt halt.
And there was another problem. It's reportedly less severe, but it doesn't do the Commanders' chances of winning their Week 11 international matchup against the Miami Dolphins much good.
Commanders won't have Treylon Burks for their trip to Spain
The Commanders confirmed that wide receiver Treylon Burks wouldn't travel with the team to Spain. Adam Schefter from ESPN shed further light on the matter, revealing that the former Arkansas standout underwent finger surgery after leading the team in receiving versus the Lions.
Schefter added that this is not expected to be a long-term issue, which is something. Burks should be back after Washington's bye week, barring any setbacks, but this further depletes the pass-catching weapons at veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota's disposal this weekend.
Burks was a recent arrival in Washington after he was cut loose by the Tennessee Titans. He was signed to the active roster from the practice squad almost immediately, and the flashes displayed in the Commanders' torrid Week 10 defeat suggest he might be able to carve out a future for himself with the club.
Not for the first time in his career, the 2022 first-round pick has seen his momentum stalled by injury. Burks will be aiming to overcome this setback quickly, and he at least left a positive impression — albeit briefly — before missing out.
Burks has a 100 percent catch success rate from four targets. His 118.7 passer rating when targeted is by far the highest of his professional career. It's a tiny sample size, but his physical approach and explosiveness out of his route stems are traits very few in Washington's wide receiver room possess.
With Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown, and Luke McCaffrey also out, the Commanders' wideout options are threadbare at best. Kliff Kingsbury will have to make the best out of a bad situation, and Burks' absence is yet another obstacle to overcome.
Hopefully, Burks can get back healthy after the bye week and finish the season strongly. That should be enough for the Commanders to give him another look in 2026.