The Washington Commanders will be without two important players in their Week 4 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin and quarterback Jayden Daniels will both miss the game. Daniels is dealing with a knee sprain and this will be his second game in a row on the sidelines. McLaurin got hurt in Week 3 with a quadriceps issue, making this his first missed game of the 2025 season.
Daniels was able to participate in two limited practices earlier in the week. That means he could do some drills but not everything. On Friday, he did not practice and was officially ruled out for the Falcons game. McLaurin, on the other hand, did not take part in any practice during the week. That makes it unlikely he will be ready for this weekend.
So when can these players come back? Right now, no one knows for sure. Head coach Dan Quinn said McLaurin is being treated on a week-to-week basis. He is putting in all the effort he can to get back on the field, but missing practices this week does not help. The good news is McLaurin is not expected to need surgery. Also, he has not been placed on injured reserve, which means he could return in the next few weeks. It is possible he could be back within four weeks, but it depends on how he responds to treatment and how his leg feels week by week.
Daniels seems closer to returning. After not practicing at all last week, he was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport says Daniels is expected to be back for Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers. That gives the Commanders a bit of hope for their quarterback position, even though they will be without him this week.
Washington will be missing two key offensive players for Week 4. McLaurin’s return is uncertain and will be monitored week by week, while Daniels is expected to be back next week. The team will have to rely on backups to fill in for them against Atlanta.