Commanders coach Dan Quinn is hoping to get some new players out on the field.
Quinn began his Wednesday presser with the local media, saying some injured players—backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, rookie linebacker Jordan Magee, and defensive end Efe Obada—are now ready to begin the 21-day return-to-play window.
However, it was just the opposite news for wide receiver/returner Jamison Crowder (calf), who is headed to the injured reserve list. This means Crowder will be out for at least four weeks.
Quinn also said in his introductory comments that with three of the first four games on the road, he and the team are excited and looking forward to “coming home and hopefully creating a home-field advantage. It’s as fun as you could possibly imagine when a stadium’s going crazy for the team. And so, we’re certainly wanting to capture that.”
Mariota had a strange preseason. He only played a series in the preseason opener against the Jets and did not play again in the final two preseason games. His first injury was a groin injury, and then a chest injury which landed him on IR, missing the first four games. Jeff Driskel is currently the number two quarterback.
Magee, a fifth-round draft choice out of Temple, injured his knee (meniscus) in the first preseason game, requiring a procedure, and has missed the first games.
Obada suffered two fractures in a leg in the home game against the Giants in November of 2023.
The players can practice with the team for 21 days before a decision is made about adding them back to the 53-man roster.
When Quinn was asked about whether any of the players were ready to return to the active roster soon, Quinn responded, “We really have to wait. These guys have been out for a while, and so that’s why you have the extended time to get them ready to play. And so that’s where we will go into, and each one will be its own individual case, too.”
Quinn expressed how he is looking forward to playing at home on Sunday.
“It’s a huge advantage for the team because as loud as it can get and silent cadences and all that goes with that, it’s just an absolute blast. The energy goes through the roof. So, that’s what we’ll dig for and keep battling for it, and the better that we can play, the more we can create that together, and then it becomes, man, this is a really hard place to play when you tie all of the of the things together.”