Dan Quinn said Van Jefferson and Jaden Bradley have an opportunity for the Washington Commanders this week as injuries continue to thin the receiving group before Sunday afternoon’s game against the Los Angeles Rams at Northwest Stadium. Quinn spoke after the team’s last full practice of the week on Friday and said the club has not yet ruled anyone out.
The timing matters because Washington is trying to sort out its passing-game depth with game day approaching. Treylon Burks has been dealing with a foot injury for the last few weeks and did not practice this week, while Dyami Brown hurt his calf in practice on Thursday. That leaves the Commanders with very little margin at a position where availability has already become the issue.
Quinn said the team still had only two healthy wide receivers who had actually caught passes from Jayden Daniels this season. Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams were on the field Friday, while Luke McCaffrey is still waiting for his first catch of the season. That is why Van Jefferson, who was signed from the practice squad after Terry McLaurin’s season-ending knee injury, has suddenly moved back into the frame.
Jaden Bradley is there for the same reason, and Quinn’s description of him showed why the rookie is in line for a look. He said Bradley leads the scout team and has shown growth this year, which is why the coach said the undrafted receiver would likely be elevated Sunday. In a week when Washington can barely afford a miss at receiver, a player who has earned trust on the scout team may become part of the answer.
The remaining gap is simple: the Commanders have not yet said whether Jefferson will be active against the Rams. Quinn said the team will make those determinations and any related roster moves over the next two days, and that leaves one more round of decisions before Sunday’s kickoff. If Jefferson gets the call, this is the kind of week that explains why.
