If losing to the Indianapolis Colts wasn't bad enough, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is also dealing with even more significant injury problems. From first impressions, wide receiver Jaylin Lane's injury looked the worst, and these fears have now been confirmed.
The 2025 fourth-round pick went down awkwardly on a kick return. Replays of the incident were pretty gruesome, and Quinn confirmed after the game that Lane had suffered a pretty serious ankle problem, which tests revealed was a fracture and dislocation.
This is a blow to the Commanders and the player. But this is the NFL, where it's next-man-up, and nobody cares about your bad luck.
Jaylin Lane's serious ankle injury could see Commanders turn to Luke McCaffrey again
And just as hope was fading rapidly, Lane's unfortunate setback could now provide Luke McCaffrey with the opening needed to become a prominent special-teams feature once again.
McCaffrey has fallen out of favor since returning from a broken collarbone. The Rice product barely made the 53-man roster and has been a healthy scratch in three of Washington's four games this season. But with Lane now expected to miss the entire year, he should get another chance to shine.
It's not guaranteed, of course. But it does look likely.
Whether McCaffrey can seize his moment is another matter.
There is no doubt McCaffrey can be a good kick returner. He proved as much last season before getting hurt. What's followed since has knocked his confidence, but if the Commanders give him another chance to firmly cement himself in the team's plans, he must take it.
Otherwise, McCaffrey doesn't seem to have much of a future in Washington.
Luke McCaffrey could be running out of chances with the Commanders
The Commanders have other options if they want to keep McCaffrey on the fringes. Dyami Brown and Austin Ekeler can return kicks. Treylon Burks could probably do this task, too. Getting the 2024 third-round pick into the fold is certainly feasible, but even with Terry McLaurin missing against the Colts, he was still a healthy scratch.
That means it could go either way with McCaffrey. But if or when his number is called again, it might be his final chance to make a lasting impression.
McCaffrey is a curious case; there's no denying that.
He's athletic and elusive. He got plenty of reps over his first two seasons, but targets were in short supply despite boasting a 74.4 catch success rate. After a busy offseason, McCaffrey fell even further down the wideout pecking order, and even his previous kick-return prowess wasn't enough.
With Lane now out until further notice, the door has cracked open slightly again. But if McCaffrey doesn't fill this void, that will tell fans all they need to know.
When one door closes in the NFL, another inevitably opens. Lane will now watch from the sidelines and focus on his recovery. But for McCaffrey, this might be the window needed to galvanize his career.
The Commanders are teetering at 1-3 with two tough-looking games before their bye week. They need stability and dependability, but injuries are once again decimating their chances — just as they did last year.
If McCaffrey is active as Lane's replacement, he must deliver. His future in Washington probably depends on it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google