Dan Quinn brought some good news Wednesday and some not-so-good news.
First, Quinn informed the media that Bill Croskey-Merritt and K'Lavon Chaisson are both back and ready to go. Both are expected to play in the 2026 season opener on Sept. 13 in Philadelphia against the Eagles. Having the No. 1 running back in place is crucial to take pressure off Jayden Daniels and slow the Eagles' pass rush.
Dan Quinn gives positive injury updates on Bill Croskey-Merritt and K'Lavon Chaisson who practiced today. He'll know more about Odafe Oweh's Week 1 availability when he returns to practice next week.
— COMMANDERS FOOTBALL (@HogsHaven) September 2, 2026
Questions via @john_keim pic.twitter.com/dDqaQ6s13C
Chaisson being expected to be ready for the opener is also good news, especially when the Eagles are in a passing
situation. Rushing the passer has certainly been Chaisson's strength; however, defending against the run has not been one of the stronger points of his game.
Which leads to an area of concern for the opener. When Quinn was asked if Odafe Oweh is going to be ready for the season opener, Quinn replied, "I'll take it when I get through. I'd rather comment on that after he goes through some of the practices."
Oweh's situation, combined with the NFL suspension of Dorance Armstrong for the season opener, could leave the Commanders shorthanded at a critical position. Yes, it is good news to hear that Chaisson is scheduled to be ready for the opener. But Quinn's answer on Wednesday sounded like they are leaning toward Oweh not debuting in the burgundy and gold until Week 2 at Dallas. This would mean that two of the top three Commanders pass rushers would not be available for the season opener.
If two of their top pass rushers are absent in Philadelphia, then the Commanders would most likely need to have both rookie Joshua Josephs and Javontae Jean-Baptiste active. Are those two ready for a new position? In the season opener? Against the Eagles?
After watching film of the Commanders and the Lions preseason game, don't be surprised if Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is told to keep the ball a few times early to see how Josephs has or has not learned his responsibilities when defending a zone read option run. He crashed down inside to get the ball carrier only to find QB Joshua Dobbs was running for a 50-yard touchdown.
Everyone would rather see Oweh in the season opener as well as Armstrong. Armstrong was the leading pass rusher on the 2025 team before a nasty knee injury ended his 2025 season. But Armstrong is definitely gone for Week 1, being suspended by the league.
On the other hand, Quinn doesn't seem to rush players back onto the field. For that, the players should be grateful. If the Commanders have to wait until Week 2 to have Oweh, then at least he will have taken more physical therapy in training to repair his strained calf.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Could Commanders be shorthanded at critical position in Week 1?
