Lost in all the storylines from the Washington Commanders' Week 1 loss was the fact that star wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught only two passes for 14 yards. Slow starts have been a theme for the two-time Pro Bowler throughout his eight-year career, but this one feels a little bit different.
McLaurin is hoping to bounce back this season after a nagging quad/hip flexor injury limited him to only 10 games in 2025, with a career-low 58.2 yards per contest. The three-year, $97 million contract he so dramatically campaigned for a summer ago also kicks in this season, so he'd better return on Washington's investment.
However, McLaurin also has something else this year that he hasn't had before.
Commanders fans must temper expectations for Terry McLaurin with new three-headed receiving monster
Help.
And that's why it's not the end of the world if McLaurin drops off a little bit.
New offensive coordinator David Blough said over the offseason that he wanted to get McLaurin 10 touches per game this year. Clearly, that was an exaggeration based on Week 1. But that was also before the Commanders signed Stefon Diggs and knew what they had in third-round rookie Antonio Williams.
Both newcomers found the end zone at Lincoln Financial Field and gave every indication they'll be major pieces of the offensive puzzle in 2026. But where does that leave McLaurin, the guy everyone still expects to be the WR1?
With the depth the Commanders now have at receiver, it's reasonable to suggest McLaurin might not have to be the same player he's been in the past. It may not even be a stretch to predict Diggs to outperform him this season.
However, he still needs to get more involved.
Even with Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams around, Terry McLaurin can't afford another slow start
It's easy to point to Washington's two-point loss on the road as heavy underdogs and say they gave it their best. But during the three quarters when the offense was virtually stagnant, a big play or two from No. 17 sure could've helped.
McLaurin did make one of the day's biggest plays on his second catch, converting a must-have fourth down on Washington's final drive. But he never broke free for a chunk of yardage or hauled in a deep ball like he's done at least a couple times per game throughout his career.
The ball was barely even thrown McLaurin's way, for that matter, with only four targets on the afternoon. Credit some of that to lockdown defense from Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, but it needs to change as the campaign goes on.
McLaurin is still too important to Washington's offense to be ghosted out.
He's bounced back from plenty of previous Week 1 no-shows, including during his career year in 2024. It'll be up to all of him, Blough, and quarterback Jayden Daniels to ensure this one follows the same pattern.
As the Commanders prepare to visit the Dallas Cowboys, one of their top goals should be simple.
Get Scary Terry going.
Add us as a preferred source on Google