Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was an elite player for years before injury robbed him of seven games last season, and the 31-year-old pass-catcher is expected to come back with a vengeance in 2026.
Ben Solak of ESPN predicted on Wednesday, July 8 that McLaurin will set a personal best of 100-plus receptions in his return to 100 percent health and full-time action.
“It’s safely assumed, given his steady production, that McLaurin is an average No. 1 receiver. I think he can be much better than that,” Solak wrote. “In 2026, he gets to play in a David Blough offense that should move him around the formation much more than Kliff Kingsbury’s system ever did.”
“McLaurin was seventh in yards per route last season (2.56) but 18th in targets per route run. Only 16.8% of his yards came after the catch — 100th in the NFL!” Solak continued. “If he starts getting the Amon-Ra St. Brown treatment with motions, slot alignments and funneled targets on third downs or in the red zone, he could post career-best marks in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.”
Terry McLaurin Could Earn First-Team All-Pro Honors With Best NFL Season
GettyWashington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
McLaurin tallied 919 receiving yards in his rookie campaign and tipped the scales over 1,000 yards in each of his next five seasons. His best mark came in 2022, the first of his two Pro Bowl campaigns, at 1,191 yards through the air.
As for touchdown receptions, McLaurin hauled in 13 of them in 2024, during which he earned his second Pro Bowl nod and first selection as an All-Pro (second-team). His career high is 87 catches, which he achieved in 2020.
If McLaurin is able to top 100 receptions for approximately 1,200 yards and 14 scores, as Solak suggested is possible with the return of third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels to the starting lineup and Blough running a new and optimized offense, the wideout might compete for first-team All-Pro honors in his eighth professional season.
McLaurin, with that level of production, would also certainly prove himself worthy of the three-year, $97 million contract for which he fought so hard ahead of last season.
Brandon Aiyuk Remains Possible Option for Commanders to Upgrade Wide Receiver Room
GettyWide receiver Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.
Where the pass-game production might come from aside from McLaurin is a viable question for the Commanders heading into 2026.
As of early July, with training camp less than three weeks out, Luke McCaffrey and third-round rookie Antonio Williams are the likely starters alongside McLaurin in the WR room.
McCaffrey has played 26 games across two NFL seasons, starting just four of them, and amassed a total of 29 catches for 371 yards and three scores over that span. Meanwhile, Williams has yet to take a snap of any kind in the league.
Brandon Aiyuk has connected himself to Washington for weeks, mentioning the Commanders multiple times in a series of bizarre Instagram videos in which the former second-team All-Pro (2023) has also disparaged the San Francisco 49ers organization, which has yet to release him.
It is unclear if/when the 49ers intend to cut Aiyuk, as they may still be trying (likely fruitlessly at this point) to trade him for some sort of draft or personnel compensation.
The Commanders have not expressed public interest in Aiyuk, as doing so while he is still under contract with another team would qualify as tampering, which is against league rules. However, Washington hasn’t distanced itself from potential interest in the mercurial wideout, either, which would not be a violation of protocol and could be a hint that the team is willing to take a chance on him in the future.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin Predicted for Career Year Amid Brandon Aiyuk Drama