Commanders' defender 'uncertain' for Week 2 matchup vs. Cowboys

Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu entered the 2026 season in a contract year. After a dominant debut season for the Commanders in 2024, Luvu struggled last season and was often forced to play out of position out of necessity.

When new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones took over, he couldn't hide his excitement to coach Luvu. Instead of playing primarily as an edge rusher or dropping into coverage, Jones planned to use Luvu where he excelled. In Washington's Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles , Luvu had four tackles, including a tackle for loss and a sack. Unfortunately, he departed in the third quarter with an injury and did not return.

Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Luvu has a groin injury, but didn't offer a timeline for his return.

"So, the four of them, Frankie had a groin, and Chig (Okonkwo) and Jordan (Magee) both had hamstrings, and Tyler (Owens) had an ankle," Quinn said. "I'll have a better update Wednesday as to where they're at. For the soft-tissue ones, we'll need a day or two more with that."

Luvu, along with Okonkwo and Magee, are dealing with soft-tissue injuries, which means they could at least miss the Week 2 game at Dallas .

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler provided an update on Luvu, and it's good news for Washington.

No trip to IR means that Washington expects him to be out only a short time. However, that doesn't mean he'll play on Sunday against the Cowboys. Fowler's report echoes what Quinn said. If Luvu misses Sunday's game, the Commanders have Sonny Styles and Leo Chenal available to play inside. If Magee can't go, that seriously hampers Washington's depth, leaving Kain Medrano as the only other healthy linebacker on the roster behind Styles and Chenal.

So, good news and bad news on Luvu. Washington will take this, though, as Luvu is an important part of its defense. The Cowboys will need all hands on deck against the Cowboys on Sunday. Dallas, like Washington, is looking to avoid a 0-2 start with two division losses to begin the season.