The Washington Commanders won’t have wide receiver Terry McLaurin for the remainder of the year following his injury against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, but the team is already responding from a personnel standpoint.
Washington reunited with undrafted rookie tight end Quentin Moore on Tuesday, October 20, per his agent.
“The Washington Commanders just signed my client Quentin Moore (TE, Washington) to their practice squad,” Brad Tessler of Tessler Sports posted to X. “Was with them this preseason before doing an injury settlement before the start of the season.”
Moore is 26 years old, stands at six-feet, four-inches tall and weighs 260 pounds. And while he is much more of an inline tight end whose strengths exist in functioning as an extension of the offensive line as a blocker, Moore is more than capable of serving as a viable pass-catcher. He tallied a total of 13 catches for 168 yards and two scores across his collegiate career.
One of the strongest current trends in the NFL involves dual-threat tight ends who can both block effectively while also posing a threat to catch the football.
The positional versatility Moore possesses should help the Commanders if they intend to run more multiple-tight end sets and force defenses into certain personnel groupings that allow quarterback Jayden Daniels to check at the line and exploit defensive weaknesses in both the run and pass games.
Terry McLaurin Suffered Torn Patellar Tendon Against 49ers
McLaurin left the Commanders’ contest on Monday night late in the first quarter after suffering a knee injury. He did so on a cart and in an air cast.
Most experts watching speculated the two-time Pro Bowl WR had suffered a serious injury, which head coach Dan Quinn confirmed on Tuesday.
“Commanders Pro Bowl WR Terry McLaurin tore his patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the season, per HC Dan Quinn,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted to X.
McLaurin also missed seven games last season due to a hamstring injury.
Commanders Strong Candidates to Trade for WR After Terry McLaurin Injury
Washington’s WR room is now severely depleted, which puts the Commanders in line to make a move, or possibly two, for a new wideout ahead of the league’s November 10 trade deadline.
Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars is a potential target, while Jauan Jennings of the Minnesota Vikings is also a player who might make sense in Washington.
Thomas, a third-year player and former first-round selection who had a monster season as a rookie but has fallen off since, could run as expensive as a second-round pick given what the Arizona Cardinals just got from the Houston Texans in exchange for Marvin Harrison Jr. — also a first-round receiver in the 2024 draft.
Jennings should prove less expensive, but could come in at an asking price of around a 4th- or 5th-round pick.
Cleveland Browns wideout Jerry Jeudy is also a possible option, though the Browns reportedly want as much as a third-rounder for a player their offense is scarcely using, which might be a non-starter for Washington after a 1-4-1 start.
Commanders Reunite With Pass-Catcher After Terry McLaurin Lost for Season