Dan Quinn has already watched the Commanders absorb a brutal stretch of setbacks, and now they have to move on without Terry McLaurin.
Quinn said Washington has dealt with “ a season’s worth of adversity ” over its first six games, and that wasn’t hyperbole. Laremy Tunsil went down in training camp.
Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow in Week 2 and missed time. The team had to turn to seventh-round rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis against the Colts.
The Week 5 loss to the New York Giants sent Quinn’s seat into a full-blown fire drill. And there were the near misses against Philly and San Francisco - a failed two-point conversion away from overtime against the Eagles, then two failed fourth downs short of beating the 49ers.
Then the latest hit landed: McLaurin’s knee went into an air cast and he was carted off against San Francisco after suffering a season-ending torn patellar tendon.
I mean, come on.
“He brings a lot on and off the field,” Quinn said. “I felt him in so many unique ways this season from training camp to in-season. We do have a deep crew at that position and we’ll lean on several guy to fill the unique role that Terry does.”
That’s the reality now. Washington isn’t replacing McLaurin one-for-one. It has to piece together the passing game in layers and find production from a few different places.
Stefon Diggs becomes the obvious headliner. He was a top-tier receiver in his younger days and still brings impact to the passing game now.
His résumé backs that up: 1,000-yard seasons every year since 2018 except for two interrupted by injury. Diggs knows how to diagnose coverage, separate, and get himself open.
He’s also a fierce competitor and a steady leader for the receiver room, and now the Commanders need him to own that role rather than share it with McLaurin. His target share is going up, and even with some early drops and less explosiveness than in his peak years, he’s still the kind of player who can shoulder a bigger load.
Washington also needs the rest of the group to form, in effect, a McLaurin Voltron.
That’s because McLaurin does too many things well for any one player to copy. He has deep speed, he creates separation, and Quinn called contested catches his “superpower.”
So the answer has to come from a collection of traits spread across the roster. Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey can stress defenses vertically.
Rookie Antonio Williams is strong at separating from coverage. Treylon Burks brings the contested-catch element.
The Commanders have to use those pieces the right way and build the plan around what each guy does best.
If Burks is healthy, he should be expected to start and play a heavy snap load. Williams can line up anywhere, but he becomes especially dangerous inside and should see more opportunities there, too.
Another name that has to matter more now is Chig Okonkwo. His start in Washington was slowed by a hamstring injury that cost him Weeks 2-3, and he didn’t have much of a role in Week 4.
But over the last two games, he’s come on strong: 11 catches for 129 yards on 13 targets. That kind of efficiency has to keep going, both to take pressure off Diggs and to give the offense a reliable middle-of-the-field threat.
John Bates’ blocking and in-line work gives offensive coordinator David Blough the freedom to move Okonkwo around and use him like a receiver at times. The upside is there.
Now it needs to show up more consistently.
And then there’s the deadline chatter. Fans may want Washington to go shopping for Brian Thomas Jr. or another big name, but the answer from this perspective is simple: no trades.
This roster is not in position to part with a Day 2 pick, or even a high Day 3 pick, right now. The Commanders need every asset they can keep to strengthen the foundation.
If the losses keep coming after the bye, they could even become sellers. Either way, this isn’t the moment to chase a splashy fix.
That goes for the big-name possibilities, too. Tyreek Hill and Brandon Aiyuk are not the move.
Washington has enough on hand to keep going. The practical step is the simplest one: promote Van Jefferson or Jaden Bradley from the practice squad and build around what’s already in the building.
In Other News...
Dan Quinn Just Opened The Door To A Commanders O-Line Shakeup
The Commanders are still sorting through a stretch that has tested both sides of the ball, and the latest roster churn is a reminder of how quickly depth can get stretched. While Steve Wilks has been brought in to help the defensive staff and veteran lineman Laremy Tunsil continues to offer leadership despite injury, the offense has had its own issues, with receiver Stefon Diggs struggling with multiple drops and the line not playing cleanly enough for Dan Quinns liking.
Quinn made it clear he sees the offensive line as a spot that could change, and he did not shut the door on personnel adjustments as Washington tries to steady things. Elsewhere, receiver Jaylin Lane had surgery for a fractured and dislocated ankle and is expected back before offseason workouts, while the kind of roster movement that always follows a rough stretch has already started to show up around the edges of the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Faces A Tough New Debate After Uneven Monday Night
Jayden Daniels return to the Monday night stage came with the kind of uneven finish that tends to sharpen the conversation around a young quarterback. In Washingtons 23-17 loss to the 49ers, the Commanders saw Daniels complete nearly 73% of his passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns, a line that still offered plenty of evidence of his talent even as he continued working back from a left elbow injury.
The bigger issue for Washington was the way the night ended, and how quickly the outside debate has started to turn toward Daniels long-term development. Stephen A. Smith and Emmanuel Acho both weighed in afterward, comparing his performance and injury history with other quarterbacks and raising questions about where his growth goes from here, a conversation the Commanders would much rather have on their terms than after a frustrating loss. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Next Two Games Could Shape A Painful Deadline Choice
Washingtons next two games loom larger than a normal midseason stretch because they could help decide whether this front office leans into a sell-off or keeps trying to ride out the season with the current group. The Commanders have a losing record, but they are still close enough in the NFC East to make the deadline conversation more complicated than a simple teardown, especially with a roster that includes veterans who would draw real interest on the market.
Stefon Diggs and Daron Payne have already surfaced as the kinds of players rival teams would monitor if Washington decides to shop help for future draft capital. The challenge for the Commanders is balancing short-term competitiveness with the temptation to turn veterans into assets, and the next two games could go a long way toward deciding whether this becomes a push for relevance or a painful reset. [Read more 🡒]