Josh Johnson will start for the Commanders on Christmas Day against the Cowboys. Greg Fiume / Getty Images
The Commanders are onto their third starting quarterback of the season. Journeyman Josh Johnson will start against the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day and Jeff Driskel, who re-signed with Washington on Monday, will serve as the backup, coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday.
The team will also sign practice squad quarterback Sam Hartman to the active roster and designate him as the emergency third quarterback.
Marcus Mariota, who had been starting in place of Jayden Daniels for the final stretch of the season after Daniels was shut down, suffered a right hand injury that required six stitches, as well as a quad injury, in the team’s Week 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He did not practice this week and was ruled out for Thursday’s game, but Quinn said there is a chance he could be available for the team’s season finale in Philadelphia on Jan. 4.
In addition to Mariota, the team ruled out linebacker Nick Bellore (concussion). Left tackle Laremy Tunsil (oblique) and defensive tackle Daron Payne (back) are trending toward being ruled out for Thursday, Quinn said. Brandon Coleman is expected to start at left tackle again in Tunsil’s place, and Andrew Wylie and Nick Allegretti will both work in at right guard, where the team lost Sam Cosmi to a concussion. He was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week.
Injuries have wreaked havoc on the Commanders’ roster throughout the season, sidelining now 30 players for a total of 139 games (including those expected to be ruled out for Thursday).
The Commanders (4-11) and Cowboys (6-8-1) have both been eliminated from playoff contention.