When a player goes down, you might not have a backup who fits into the same mold, where you can simply plug him in and play him.
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was asked about this on Wednesday.
Quinn acknowledged there is adapting that does have to take place.
“Yes, you do want to, not one size fits all into that,” said. “So, when you know somebody’s featured in a different role or a different spot, it’s not just add water and the same result will take place. So, you may have to do things a little bit differently.”
For instance, we have already seen the Commanders don’t have a running back who is nearly as much of a threat as a receiver as Austin Ekeler was before his season-ending Achilles injury. On the other hand, although Marcus Mariota is not Jayden Daniels, Mariota did display poise in running the offense and stepping up to make all sorts of throws in the pocket during his two weeks of action, substituting for Daniels.
Having lost defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste with a torn pectoral muscle against the Falcons, Quinn was asked about losing him. The significance of losing Jean-Baptiste is that he was not the starter to begin the season. The starter was new Commander and former Patriot Deatrich Wise. But Wise went down in the Week 2 loss to the Packers when he was rolled up under, tearing a quadriceps muscle, ending his 2025 season.
“So, with Javontae in his case, we signed Preston [Smith] a few weeks back. And so as he’s progressing, there would be some snaps that would go his way.” Jean Baptiste was drafted by Washington in the 7th round (222) of the 2024 draft, after playing his final college season at Notre Dame. He did not play against the Giants, but did see action against the Packers, and he started against the Raiders and Falcons. In his three games, he was in on six tackles, a QB sack, a QB hit, and one tackle for a loss.
Coming in for Jean-Baptiste will be Preston Smith, a veteran, who will turn 33 in November. Smith was drafted 38th overall by Washington in the 2015 NFL Draft. In his four seasons with the Redskins, he contributed 24.5 QB sacks, 29 tackles for a loss and 59 QB hits. He also intercepted four passes for 51 return yards.
Preston Smith, welcome back to Washington. pic.twitter.com/YcOREEuw7w
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) September 17, 2025
The defensive ends for the Commanders are now Dorance Armstrong, Jalyn Holmes, Jacob Martin, Smith and Von Miller (listed as a linebacker). There is T.J. Maguranyanga on the practice squad; however, he is only 222 pounds and an inexperienced International player. So look for the Commanders to be looking to sign a defensive end to their practice squad.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Injuries have impacted defensive end position
