Who Should I Start? Josh Johnson or Jayden Daniels

Monday, December 22, 1:35 PM

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that quarterback Josh Johnson will get the "lion's share" of the starter's reps at practice this week, according to JP Finley of NBC Sports Washington. Johnson was forced into action on Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles when fellow quarterback Marcus Mariota (hand) exited early with a hand injury. The 39-year-old went five-for-nine for 43 yards with one interception. Entering the 2025 season, Johnson earned the QB3 job in Washington after outperforming Sam Hartman during the preseason. After an injury-riddled season, Johnson is trending toward being the Commanders' starting quarterback on Christmas Day against the Dallas Cowboys. On a short turnaround, Mariota's availability remains unclear for Week 17, and Jayden Daniels has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. It is worth noting that Washington recently signed quarterback Jeff Driskel off the Cardinals' practice squad to add depth to their quarterback room.

Monday, December 15, 3:33 PM

The Washington Commanders have decided to shut down quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) for the final three games of the 2025 season, sources tell Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Daniels was re-evaluated on Monday and was not cleared, so the Commanders have decided to sit the second-year signal-caller for the rest of the year since they are eliminated from postseason contention. Veteran Marcus Mariota will close out the year running Washington's offense. The 24-year-old missed his seventh game of the year in Sunday's win over the New York Giants. Daniels suffered a gruesome dislocation of his left elbow in Week 9 and didn't return until Week 14, when he aggravated the injury. The former second overall pick had an amazing rookie campaign, but he'll end 2025 with only 1,262 passing yards, eight TDs, and three interceptions in seven games. Daniels could easily bounce back in 2026, but there are some serious concerns about his durability now after he missed time with elbow, hamstring, and knee injuries this year.