Now, a cherished celebrity and one of their lifelong veterans might be ready for his due.
With 2024 No. 2 overall selection Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders may have finally discovered their franchise quarterback of the future.
Terry McLaurin, a wide receiver for Washington, was ranked No. 18 on PFF’s ranking of the 32 top wide receivers in the NFL before to the 2024 season.
Justin Jefferson, a wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings, ranked first.
“Washington will be hoping rookie Jayden Daniels can become the answer at quarterback, giving Terry McLaurin the quarterback he has deserved for his entire career so far,” Monson said. “The Sam Howell experiment didn’t go well last season.” “He had only four drops in the entire season last year and caught half of his contested targets.”
After being selected by the Commanders in the third round (at pick No. 76 overall) out of Ohio State in 2019, McLaurin is about to begin his sixth season.
For the last three seasons, McLaurin has started every game for the Commanders and has at least 1,000 receiving yards in four of those seasons.
McLaurin Works Hard on Among the Worst Teams in the NFL
Up until now, McLaurin has worked tirelessly as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL on one of the poorest teams in the league.
Since McLaurin joined the Commanders in 2019, the team has failed to win since having an overall record of 29-53-1. They have made one postseason appearance, falling in the NFC Wild Card Round in 2020, and three NFC East final place finishes.
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings was first in line.
“Washington will be hoping rookie Jayden Daniels can become the answer at quarterback, giving Terry McLaurin the quarterback he has deserved for his entire career so far,” Monson stated. “The Sam Howell experiment didn’t go well last season.” “He had only four drops in the entire season last year and caught half of his contested targets.”
McLaurin is about to start his sixth season after being drafted by the Commanders out of Ohio State in the third round (at pick No. 76 overall) in 2019.
McLaurin will have played for four different head coaches and eleven different starting quarterbacks in six seasons when the 2024 season begins with Dan Quinn leading Washington — an astonishing turnover rate even in professional sports like the NFL.
Making sure McLaurin received a contract worthy of his caliber of play during that time was one of the Commanders’ many accomplishments; in March 2022, they signed him to a three-year, $68.3 million contract extension.
In 2024, Commanders’ Offense Should Be Improved
After finishing 4-13 in 2023, it’s difficult to imagine the Commanders’ offense not taking a significant step forward in 2024. These issues were made worse by the fact that Howell led the NFL in both sacks taken (65) and interceptions (21).
Along with selecting Daniels in the 2024 draft, the Commanders also selected two more explosive offensive players: Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey in the third round and Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott in the second round.
Additionally, they signed free-agent tight end Zach Ertz and running back Austin Ekeler. Ekeler has over 1,000 yards of total offense in three straight seasons, and Ertz has been selected to three Pro Bowls.
“Ertz can be a productive option as a tight end operating in the slot, and he is familiar with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s system from their time together with the Arizona Cardinals,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote. “Those who need to learn a new offense will find him useful. Should Washington select a rookie quarterback with the second overall pick, Ertz can also act as a safety net for him.
“There isn’t much risk because it’s a cheap signing. Over the past two seasons, Ertz has suffered setbacks due to injuries, including a quadriceps strain in 2023 and a knee ailment the year before.
