Paused again, but for how long?

Former Oregon Duck and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota has been sidelined for the last two preseason games due to a groin injury. Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced two weeks ago that Mariota would not play against the Miami Dolphins. The decision was made to hold him off to avoid further injury.

Mariota was also sidelined last Sunday when the Commanders faced New England in the final preseason game. While the rationale of preventing further injuries still applies, it was unlikely that Mariota would play at all. Keep in mind that preseason games are more designed to evaluate newly drafted players as well as veterans looking to make the NFL roster.

Mariota is expected to be the replacement for Jayden Daniels, Washington's No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Given his rookie status, the Commanders want to be sure they have a ready and fully healthy quarterback should something happen to Daniels.

Mariota is expected to practice at full strength this week as Washington prepares for its NFL season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coach Quinn settled any quarterback debate that may have existed by announcing that Daniels will be the starting quarterback when Washington travels to Tampa Bay for its season opener against the Buccaneers, with Mariota as the backup. It's a role the Oregon star has been familiar with throughout his NFL career. Mariota was Tennessee's first-round pick in 2015. In 2020, he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders before spending a year with Atlanta and Philadelphia.

During his time in Washington, Mariota impressed Quinn with his leadership skills and his interactions with his teammates.

“I've gotten to know Marcus, I've coached against him a lot,” Quinn said. “When you coach against someone, you don't know what the guy is like. He has an absolute presence; his teammates gravitate toward him. This quarterback room really has the makings of something special.”

Quinn also noted Mariota's ability to interact with both fans and teammates.

“The connection he has (with the fans) off the game and with his teammates is also really strong.”

That being said, there are questions in the quarterback room behind starter Daniels and backup Mariota. There are several players still battling for a spot on the 53-man roster, including quarterbacks Sam Hartman, Jeff Driskel and Trace McSorley. Hartman is injured and did not play against New England. Accordingly, Driskel and McSorley had their last opportunity to impress the coaching staff.

Should the Washington think tank want to explore all options for a backup playmaker, it could turn to former Oregon Ducks star Anthony Brown, who signed with Buffalo earlier this week to be the Bills' emergency replacement for Carolina. However, Brown got plenty of playing time as many first- and second-string players sat out this final preseason game.

Despite the limited preparation time, Brown put up some very solid numbers. He completed 11 of 12 passes for 102 yards and had one run for 13 yards. His overall quarterback rating was a respectable 102.1. However, the Bills decided to release Brown in favor of Ben DiNucci as the third play caller behind Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky, who is dealing with a knee injury.

Brown's release means Ben DiNucci is still being considered as the third quarterback. This is all speculation, but the fact that the former Duck is throwing for over 100 yards to his new teammates is something that can't be ignored. That might not be enough to get him on the roster in Buffalo, but he's definitely a candidate for the Bills' practice squad or another team's practice squad like Washington. We'll get some answers to those questions shortly, as the final 53-player cut happens Tuesday afternoon and teams add players from the waivers list to their practice squad shortly afterward.