The Saturday news we were bracing for is here. Dan Quinn has ruled out four Commanders for Monday Night Football at Levi’s Stadium (Mon., Oct. 19, 8:15 PM ET, ESPN): running back Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt, outside linebacker Javontae Jean-Baptiste, defensive end Charles Omenihu and quarterback Marcus Mariota. That’s per commanders.com. None of the four practiced Thursday or Friday, according to the official injury report.
The good news: everyone else, including Trey Amos from injured reserve and Nick Cross, is traveling to California, per the team.
The news about Bill is the most worrisome. While Bill has not shown the ability to be a true RB1, he does lead the team in rushing with 239 yards on 67 carries. Quinn said he re-injured the same groin that’s been bothering him in recent weeks. Quinn continued that the plan was, “Having some combination of the guys, I think that’s what we’ll lean on most right now.”
This means Rachaad White and Austin Ekeler will have to step up for the Commies. Ekeler is still learning the playbook. I expect White to get more of the snaps, but it would not surprise me if both backs got an equal number of touches. There is also the chance that Jeremy McNichols may also get some snaps. The team will decide Monday whether to activate Jeremy McNichols from IR. “He’s had a very good week,” Quinn said.
Defensive Line Takes More Hits
Two losses on the edge and interior hit a pass rush that already ranks 24th in the league with just nine sacks. On the Week 6 unofficial depth chart, Omenihu is the second-team defensive lineman behind Daron Payne. Jean-Baptiste is the third outside linebacker behind K’Lavon Chaisson and Dorance Armstrong. On the other edge, Joshua Josephs is listed behind Odafe Oweh.
Who actually soaks up those snaps is Daronte Jones’ call, and the team hasn’t said. One more thing worth watching: Chaisson, the team sack leader with 2.5, didn’t practice Friday (knee/rest), though he wasn’t ruled out. The 49ers have allowed just two sacks all season, the fewest in the league. Getting home against Brock Purdy was already a seemingly impossible task. That task just got far more difficult.
This continues to be a concern, as a weakened pass rush will only serve to further expose the Commies’ below-average secondary. Purdy has been hot this season, and he should feast against the Commies’ defense. Purdy is currently ranked #1 with an 85.8 QBR.
Who’s behind Daniels?
When healthy, Mariota is the best backup in the NFL. However, Mariota is still out with his knee injury. The only other quarterback on the Week 6 depth chart is Athan Kaliakmanis, listed third. He went 15-of-33 for 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception against the Colts in London. The team hasn’t formally named Monday’s backup. But unless the Commies add a quarterback before kickoff, Kaliakmanis is the one-play-away guy. Nobody wants to find out what that looks like on MNF.
I know many people do not worry about the status of the backup quarterback. But when Mr. Glass is your starting quarterback, this is something that is important. The last time Jayden Daniels started and finished two games without an injury was October 13, 2025. Yeah, a bit more than a full year ago. Until Daniels demonstrates the ability to start and finish more than two games in a row, the issue of the backup quarterback will remain vitally important.