Loser No. 1
Terry McLaurin - Commanders WR
Another week of no practice for Terry McLaurin as the wide receiver's contract standoff with the Washington Commanders continues. That's three weeks of not being on the field with his teammates, and reports suggest the relationship between the player and franchise is more fractured than initially feared.
Both sides are dug into their respective positions. McLaurin reportedly wants north of $30 million per season on his third NFL contract. Adam Peters is reluctant to meet this asking price, given that the former third-round pick out of Ohio State will be 31 years old when the deal kicks in.
This is a dark cloud hanging over the organization. McLaurin doesn't have any more cards to play unless he gives up game checks. There might be a little more leverage after some frailties from Washington's depth wideouts, but Peters still has all the cards.
Fans are still hoping for a successful resolution. McLaurin's trade request didn't raise any urgency whatsoever. But if we're still talking about no contract by this time next week, that's a big problem.
Winner No. 2
Josh Conerly Jr. - Commanders OT
Josh Conerly Jr. no doubt heard the unfair criticism coming his way throughout the media. The offensive tackle took some time to adjust to the right tackle position, which was expected. However, the fact that he was a first-round pick brought more scrutiny than needed.
Nobody was panicking within the building. This was all part of the learning curve for Conerly. He's got to earn his spot just like everyone else, but there were signs over recent days that suggest the former Oregon standout is starting to put everything together.
Joint practice against the Patriots was Conerly's best by a considerable margin. The edge protector followed this up with a strong showing in the preseason game at Gillette Stadium. It wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a huge step in the right direction nonetheless.
If the same trend continues in the next two weeks, Conerly could be the starting right tackle in Week 1 against a fierce New York Giants pass rush.
Loser No. 2
Tyre Phillips - Commanders OT
The Commanders have some questions to answer regarding their wide receiver depth. These were further magnified over recent days, and it must provoke general manager Adam Peters into action regarding potential reinforcements.
Lucas Niang's time with the Commanders was dealt a cruel blow just days after his arrival. Dan Quinn revealed that the lineman tore his ACL versus the Patriots, which ended any slim hope he had of making the squad after Nate Herbig's retirement.
But it was the performance of Tyre Phillips this week that was arguably a lot more concerning. The offensive tackle was brought in to fight for a backup role this offseason. He's got a previous connection to line coach Bobby Johnson from their time together on the New York Giants, so hopes were high that this could result in a seamless transition to a different environment.
His performance in joint practice was concerning. Phillips' production in the preseason game was even worse. And things are not looking good.