The Washington Commanders will have one key piece back in the trenches, while the Seattle Seahawks officially return quarterback Sam Darnold
The final injury report has ended speculation about who the Washington Commanders will face in the 2026 home opener.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is officially off the injury report, paving the way for the veteran to make his return on Sunday to mark another test for the Commanders' defense. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba unofficially revealed that Darnold was expected to make his return in week three during an interview on Friday, shortly before news was made official. Darnold returned to practice on Wednesday after suffering a hip and glute injury early in the win over the New England Patriots.
That adds a layer of questions for the Commanders, who already enter Sunday without starting safety Nick Cross after he suffered an internal injury in the week two loss against the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach Dan Quinn pointed to Quan Martin and Jeremy Reaves as the two safeties looking to fill his production while Tyler Owens looks to continue his strong start.
In addition to Cross and quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders also ruled out right guard Sam Cosmi (concussion), tight end Chig Okonkwo (hamstring) and linebacker Frankie Luvu (groin) after general manager Adam Peters expressed pessimism surrounding their status. The Commanders did get good news with defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, who battled a back/ shoulder injury, is available to play in week three. Kinlaw was among the players who exited the week two loss against Dallas with uncertainty about his status earlier in the week.
While Darnold is available to play, the Seahawks did rule out both starting safeties in Ty Okada (hamstring) and Julian Love (concussion), potentially putting AJ Finley and Rodney Thomas II into bigger roles in their absences. That bodes well for a Commanders passing attack with veteran Marcus Mariota expected to make his first start of the regular season as the offense looks to find chemistry for the first time inside Northwest Stadium.
The Seahawks also ruled backup nose tackle Brandon Pili as questionable due to a concussion, while the Commanders did not have any other game status designations on the final injury report despite nearly one dozen additional players battling injuries through the week.
Kickoff is set for 1 PM on FOX between the Seahawks and Commanders as Washington looks to avoid an 0-3 start with a chance to avenge the 38-14 week nine loss at home during the 2025 season.
