Few members of the Washington Commanders know more about Jayden Daniels‘ resilience than his go-to wide receiver, Terry McLaurin. So when the All-Pro makes a prediction about if and when injured star quarterback Daniels will return during the 2026 NFL season, people should listen.
McLaurin confidently proclaimed, “We know he’s gonna be back,” per The Washington Post’s Tashan Reed.
That statement is equal parts optimistic and defiant. Not least because Daniels crumpling to the turf during the 37-20 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 was a “gruesome” spectacle.
Subsequent confirmation Daniels dislocated his elbow for the second time in less than a year only adds to the grim outlook for Washington’s QB1. He’s certainly out for Week 3’s game against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Beyond that, McLaurin and the Commanders are relying more on hope than knowledge about the status of their most important teammate. The hope comes from the ongoing uncertainty about Daniels’ next step to fix his injury.
In the meantime, McLaurin needs to focus on playing like the Commanders’ No. 1 receiver again.
Terry McLaurin Playing Like Anything Other than ‘Alpha’ Receiver
McLaurin’s supposed to be the go-to target for whoever plays quarterback for the Commanders. He’s looked like anything but through two quiet and disappointing performances to start this season.
The two-time Pro Bowler’s 30.8 percent catch rate is the lowest in the NFL after two weeks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Terry McLaurin 30.8% (4/13) Xavier Hutchinson 42.9% (6/14) D.K. Metcalf 44.4% (8/18) Jameson Williams 50.0% (6/12) Ted Hurst 50.0% (5/10)
McLaurin making just four catches from 13 targets is disappointing, but there’s a potential silver lining. It comes from a jump in his targets against the Cowboys.
He was only targeted four times against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, but Commanders’ QBs threw McLaurin’s way nine times in Dallas, per Pro Football Reference. That’s significant because a few of those throws came from the arm of Daniels’ backup Marcus Mariota.
The latter will start against the Seahawks at Northwest Stadium, so any rapport he has with McLaurin can only help No. 17. Even though ‘Scary Terry’ will still curse yet more time not being able to connect with Daniels.
Commanders Face Anxious Wait for Jayden Daniels
Daniels underwent scans on his damaged elbow, but the Commanders are no clearer on when their leading playmaker will return. Instead, head coach Dan Quinn said “we simply don’t know” when asked about the possibility of JD5 landing on injured reserve, when surgery might be the next step, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (h/t JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports).
The lack of clarity is frustrating for McLaurin, but not as much having to play any more games without Daniels. That common during Daniels’ injury-hit 2025 season.
Numbers from ESPN’s John Keim show McLaurin and Daniels “played 138 snaps together out of 990 total snaps. That equates to 13.9 percent. In 2024: 817 snaps out of 1,011; (80.8%).”
So here it is: They played 138 snaps together out of 990 total snaps. That equates to 13.9 percent.
In 2024: 817 snaps out of 1,011; (80.8%)
It’s no coincidence the Commanders were a more prolific offense and a more competitive team overall the more Daniels got to throw to his primary weapon.
McLaurin faces losing that status in 2026, after the Commanders signed fellow All-Pro Stefon Diggs. General manager Adam Peters also used a third-round pick in this year’s draft to select Antonio Williams, a slot demon who already looks better than a notable draft bust from the Commanders’ recent past.
McLaurin’s role as the team’s No. 1 receiver was always going to be threatened by this much talent. He needs Daniels back and continuing to look his way in clutch situations.
Commanders’ All-Pro Makes Jayden Daniels Comeback Prediction