ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders will play Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys without linebacker Frankie Luvu and tight end Chig Okonkwo, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Friday.
Luvu has a groin injury, and Okonkwo has a hamstring injury. The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala listed both players as out at 11:34 a.m. CT. About a minute later, ESPN’s John Keim reported Quinn’s announcement.
On Wednesday, both were non-participants on Washington’s first injury report of the week, and neither practiced Thursday. The official report for Sunday was due out later Friday afternoon.
Both injuries came in last Sunday’s 24-22 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles. Luvu recorded a sack before he left near the end of the first half. Okonkwo caught 2 passes for 16 yards before the hamstring injury took him out in the second half. With 1:01 left, Washington’s two-point try for the tie was stopped.
Dallas is also 0-1 after a 28-20 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. Sunday is the Cowboys’ home opener.
Frankie Luvu, Chig Okonkwo Out After Week 1 Injuries At Philadelphia
Luvu signed a three-year, $31 million contract with Washington in March 2024, and 2026 is the final season of the deal. He carries an $11.3 million cap hit this season. In his first year with the Commanders, Luvu made 99 tackles and 8 sacks and was named second-team All-Pro. Washington went 12-5 that season and reached the NFC Championship Game, which it lost 55-23 at Philadelphia.
Last season, Luvu had 86 tackles and 3 sacks as Washington finished 5-12. He had started all 35 games since signing with the Commanders. The most recent of those starts came last Sunday in Philadelphia.
Washington signed Okonkwo in March to a three-year, $27 million contract that includes $16.7 million fully guaranteed. The Tennessee Titans drafted him in the fourth round, No. 143 overall, in 2022. He played in all 68 games across his four seasons in Tennessee. His 56 catches and 560 receiving yards last season were both career highs. Sunday will be the first game Okonkwo has missed in his NFL career.
Linebacker Jordan Magee also got hurt in Philadelphia. Washington moved him to injured reserve this week with a hamstring injury, which keeps him out for at least four games.
Quinn said Wednesday there was still some uncertainty about Luvu and Okonkwo for Sunday and that he would know more later in the week.
“The four of them: Frankie had a groin, and Chig and Jordan both had hamstrings, and Tyler had an ankle,” Quinn said Monday. “I’ll have a better update Wednesday as to where they’re at. Soft tissue ones, we’ll need a day or two more with that. And then Tyler, if he can see how quickly he can turn around with his ankle.”
Safety Tyler Owens hurt his ankle on a return against the Eagles. He was a full participant in practice Wednesday.
Sonny Styles, Ben Sinnott Among Commanders Replacements Against Dallas Cowboys
Rookie Sonny Styles took over the green dot after Luvu left in Philadelphia. Washington drafted Styles out of Ohio State with the seventh overall pick in April. ProFootballTalk reported that Styles is likely to handle the defensive signals again Sunday.
Alongside Styles, Leo Chenal is in line to start. The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Chenal in the third round in 2022. He won two Super Bowls in Kansas City before he signed with Washington in free agency this offseason.
At tight end, Washington has John Bates, Ben Sinnott, and Colson Yankoff behind Okonkwo. Sinnott, a second-round pick in 2024, caught 16 passes for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns in 33 games over his first two seasons. He played 18 offensive snaps against the Eagles.
Quinn also said defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw would carry an injury designation on Friday’s official report. Kinlaw missed Thursday’s practice with a back injury.
In Dallas, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown strained a hamstring against the Giants. Safety Malik Hooker had surgery Tuesday on a fractured forearm. Neither practiced Wednesday.
Rookie Jaishawn Barham is expected to start in Overshown’s place and wear the green dot, Clarence Hill of DLLS Cowboys reported. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that Dallas also has linebackers on its practice squad it can elevate.
“We’ve got to move these guys around a little bit,” Schottenheimer said. “Dee Winters is obviously most experienced of the group. Jaishawn got some valuable playtime [Sunday], did some good things, did some things that he needs to improve on. Shemar James is a valued member of our football team, very smart, very bright.”
“And then obviously we’ve got some guys on practice squad that we’ve got elevations,” Schottenheimer continued. “Curtis Robinson is a veteran. He’s played a lot of football in this league as well. And then Justin Barron’s a guy we have a lot of high expectations for.”
Dallas swept Washington last season, winning 44-22 in Arlington in October and 30-23 at Northwest Stadium on Christmas. The Cowboys have won eight of the last 10 meetings.
Kickoff at AT&T Stadium is set for 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX, with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady calling the game. Dallas plays the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 27.
