Commanders rule out Jayden Daniels, confirm Marcus Mariota will start vs. Colts in London Week 4

The Washington Commanders have officially ruled out quarterback Jayden Daniels for their Week 4 international game against the Indianapolis Colts, head coach Dan Quinn announced to reporters on Friday. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota will take over the starting role in his place. Daniels had traveled with the team to London and participated in limited practice sessions following a dislocated elbow injury in Week 2.

This elbow is the same one that incurred a dislocation and subsequent reinjury last season. Although the team didn't provide a specific return date, they refrained from placing Daniels on injured reserve, indicating hopes for a return without missing four games. Last week, general manager Adam Peters confirmed that surgery is not being considered for Daniels' injury.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, consultations with medical experts concluded that Daniels is expected to return in three weeks or sooner. Instead of opting for surgery, Daniels will wear an elbow brace to prevent further dislocations. The player expressed confidence in his ability to play without any concerns about reinjury, stating, "That's what the brace is for."

Washington stands at 1-2 following their upset victory against the Seattle Seahawks in the previous week. The Commanders have an opportunity to capitalize on this success with upcoming matchups against the Colts and Giants before facing more challenging opponents in Weeks 6-9, including games against the 49ers, Eagles, and Rams.

The team is eager to have Daniels back as soon as possible, but as Quinn emphasized earlier this week, they won't start him prematurely. Mariota demonstrated a clean performance against the reigning Super Bowl champions in Week 3, completing 19 of 31 pass attempts for 183 yards and three touchdowns without any interceptions. Now, he has another opportunity to showcase his skills against the Colts, who have allowed the fifth-most passing yards (828) and the fifth-highest passer rating (110.4) this season according to Pro Football Reference.