4 established alphas on the Washington Commanders roster in 2024

Terry McLaurin - Commanders WR

When the Washington Commanders selected Terry McLaurin in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, some expected him to become an immediate contributor as a rookie right away. He did just that and then some, establishing himself as the star of the team’s offense for the next five seasons.

Entering the 2024 season, the former Ohio State Buckeye is coming off his fourth straight campaign of more than 1,000 receiving yards. Despite the continuous change at quarterback, the biggest constant with McLaurin has been consistency and one of the most reliable targets for his signal-caller.

You can always count on him to make big-time plays for the offense. When given the opportunity, can change the momentum of a game. It's hard to gauge how terrible the Commanders' offensive would have been without McLaurin last season.

This isn’t to say McLaurin is a top-flight playmaker at his position. His talent could be on display much more if given the keys to the offense. He’s the type of player that offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury can build his scheme around. But the signal-caller is more important and the selection of Jayden Daniels early in the draft made that clear.

McLaurin is one of the better pure route runners in the game and secured Pro Bowl honors in 2022. He wins on vertical planes due to his twitchiness, subtle body movements, and speed, which allow him to create downfield separation en route to big plays.

Furthermore, his ball skills and tracking ability are incredible. McLaurin has proven credentials when it comes to making some ridiculous catches throughout his five-year career.

Heading into the 2024 season, Daniels has a chance to help his top wide receiver put up career numbers under Kingsbury's guidance. If this happens to be the case, McLaurin will be able to showcase why he is the only alpha on the Commanders' offense.

His role on and off the field will be crucial to the team's chances.