The Washington Commanders are reeling from the loss of second-team All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin. A season-ending torn patellar tendon leaves a gaping hole that must be filled, and speculation is growing that general manager Adam Peters may bring in outside help.
Nothing is confirmed, and the situation is fluid. But with the Commanders on their bye week, this might be a good time to think outside the box.
But it should not be prolific free agent Tyreek Hill.
Commanders shouldn't think about Tyreek Hill after Terry McLaurin's injury
According to reports, Hill is healthy and looking for his next opportunity. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said the explosive pass-catcher was considering offers from several teams and would decide soon.
After McLaurin's injury, Peters might decide to throw his hat in the ring.
That would be a mistake.
Hill is an accomplished player. His elite speed and playmaking ability took the league by storm, but injuries have held him back.
A devastating leg injury during his time with the Miami Dolphins last season took significant time and grueling rehabilitation to overcome. Now, he wants a way back into the league.
Teams will always be willing to bet on players like Hill. His dynamism and flamboyance are difficult to stop when firing on all cylinders. And even though the Commanders are 1-4-1 right now, they still have a shot in the pathetic NFC East.
Even so, Hill shouldn't be on the shortlist.
Commanders have way too much risk compared to any Tyreek Hill rewards
Too many concerns surround the injury. He could return to something like his old self, but there's no way to know for sure.
And the Commanders need help right now.
While a trade or a free-agent signing right now wouldn't be a sure thing either, signing Hill seems like more trouble than it's worth.
The Commanders already have a veteran presence in four-time Pro Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs. With McLaurin unavailable, this is the perfect time to get more reps into third-round rookie Antonio Williams and Treylon Burks, who've both flashed in recent weeks.
Another experienced asset could help, but they might just decide to sign Van Jefferson Jr. off the practice squad and onto the active roster.
These are strong arguments against going after Hill. And that's without counting the fact that he may not even consider the Commanders a worthwhile option.
Hill no doubt wants to sign with a contending team. The Commanders aren't out of the NFC East race, but they are far from a contender. That is unlikely to change, either, so it would probably take some convincing — and a lot of money — for the wideout to seriously consider linking up with Diggs and quarterback Jayden Daniels in Washington.
Couple this with the legal issues Hill is currently navigating, it's just a non-starter.
And any possible signing won't come close to the influence McLaurin brings to the table.
He is a driving force everyone looks to for advice and inspiration. McLaurin toiled through some dark days in franchise history and never complained, consistently producing the goods to become a modern-era great. Whether it's his last season in Washington or not is moot; they are big shoes to fill right now.
It's the last thing that Washington needed. But whatever answer Peters comes up with, don't expect Hill to be one of them.
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