The Washington Commanders have several questions at wide receiver with the second week of training camp now in full swing, but Terry McLaurin assured the team and its fans that they need not worry about the position group — at least not at the very top.
McLaurin held out for a new contract last offseason following a Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro campaign. He ultimately landed a three-year contract worth $97 million, but stumbled in 2025 due to the first meaningful injury concerns of his career (quad strain and ankle sprain).
For the first time since his rookie year in 2019, McLaurin failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. Quarterback Jayden Daniels also battled injuries all season long and played in just seven contests. The result was a 5-12 record, the exact inverse of the 12-5 campaign that Daniels and McLaurin helped muster in 2024, which ended with the team in the NFC Championship Game.
But on Monday, August 3, McLaurin told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN that he is at full strength again just six weeks out from the new season and is keyed up for what is to come.
“My body feels great,” Mclaurin said. “I’m clocking 22 mph, not missing any days. So I just feel like my normal self. And when you’re out here from Day 1 all the way through camp, obviously you get in that full conditioning mode. … This has been my home for going on eight years now, and I’m super excited just to be here for the whole entire season.”
Commanders May Require Huge Year From 3rd-Round Rookie Antonio Williams
GettyWashington Commanders rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams.
McLaurin back at full strength, alongside Daniels also at 100 percent, is a huge boon for the Commanders offense. That said, there are still multiple WR slots waiting for someone to step up and fill them.
ESPN’s John Keim wrote Monday that the wideout position battle is the most compelling on Washington’s roster this summer on multiple levels.
“Washington probably will mix and match depending on the matchups and the game plan, but players still have to earn time — whether it’s third-round pick Antonio Williams or past draft choices Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey,” Keim wrote. “The Commanders also have veterans Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson. So the battle is not only to earn time as a No. 2 but also potentially just for a roster spot.”
Stefon Diggs Remains Top Free-Agent Target for Commanders 6 Weeks Ahead of Season Opener
GettyFree agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
One card the Commanders may still have to play is attempting to sign Stefon Diggs in free agency.
Diggs, who was the leading receiver on a New England Patriots team that played in the Super Bowl in February, has as much interest in Washington as the Commanders have in him.
“I’m told free agent Stefon Diggs is on the radar,” Fowler reported Tuesday. “Washington is monitoring the situation with Diggs, who’s intrigued by the chance to play in Washington (he’s from the area). Let’s see how things play out, but it seems like this is a realistic option as the sides keep in contact.”
Terry McLaurin Issues Clear Message Amid Commanders’ WR Concerns