Terry McLaurin is set to end his four-game absence by suiting up for the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football. There will be no Jayden Daniels throwing him the football, but veteran backup Marcus Mariota has already developed chemistry with the pass-catcher that should serve the team well.
McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. both returned to practice in full this week. Neither wideout carries an injury designation into the Week 8 clash with the Kansas City Chiefs. Just how much the second-team All-Pro will be able to handle after so long away from the gridiron is debatable, but the player seemed confident that there would be no limitations after getting the green light.
This will be an immediate game-changer for the Commanders. Alex Smith, the ex-Washington quarterback who now works as an analyst for ESPN, agrees.
Commanders' offense should open up considerably with Terry McLaurin's return
Smith expects McLaurin to open up defenses a little more, even with Daniels missing the prime-time game with a low-grade hamstring strain. He also commended the team's younger wideouts for their production under challenging circumstances, given the absence of several established veterans.
"Terry (McLaurin) is such a big loss. The guys (Jayden Daniels) has been playing with on the outside, I’ve actually been so impressed with what they’ve done, especially the last few weeks. But they’re really hamstrung, so defenses are really saying, ‘If we can load the box, we can play these guys one-on-one. We can really put an extra hat in the run game and we can put a hat down here for Jayden and his legs.’ And I think that you’ve seen that the last couple weeks."Alex Smith via The Athletic
This perfectly encapsulates what McLaurin getting the all-clear means for the Commanders. His credentials as one of the league's most prolific wideouts must be treated with respect by opposing defenses. He can stretch the field or impact the game in short to intermediate areas. With Samuel back on the opposite side, that will be comforting for Mariota when he lines up under center.
Still, this is a daunting challenge for the Commanders. The Chiefs are double-digit favorites. They look primed for another deep playoff run after starting the campaign 0-2. Their offense is humming with wide receiver Rashee Rice back, and Steve Spagnuolo's defense is inventive enough to confuse if the game plan isn't compelling enough. Couple this with all the injuries and low morale, and it's not hard to see why this will be a grave challenge for Washington.
McLaurin doesn't solve every issue, but he gets them closer. And if the former Ohio State standout can hit the ground running, forming a productive wideout pairing with Samuel along the way, the better Washington's chances will be.
Whether it'll be enough to win is another matter.