Treylon Burks has found a lane with the Commanders, and it’s the kind that makes sense to keep open.
Washington didn’t bring him in expecting a quick fix. The Titans had already tried to turn him into a franchise playmaker after drafting him with the first-round pick they got in the A.J.
Brown trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that version of Burks never really took off in Tennessee. Since landing on Washington’s practice squad a little over a year ago, though, he’s given the Commanders something real: steady production and a deep-ball threat they can actually trust.
The fit has been about more than just opportunity. Burks’ rise in Washington looks tied more to Jayden Daniels than to the vacancy left by Terry McLaurin, who has been down with a torn patellar tendon suffered last month.
Daniels and Burks haven’t had a ton of time together, either, since the quarterback appeared in only two of the Commanders’ 10 final matchups last season. Even so, Burks managed to leave a mark, including one of Washington’s best plays of the year - a fading one-handed touchdown grab against the Denver Broncos.
#Broncos CB Riley Moss... got Moss'd. Treylon Burks, man. This is incredible. pic.twitter.com/mmK0TeTW4x https://t.co/KZdkroMomU
That late-season burst didn’t make him a sure thing, but it did make him worth another look. By the time training camp rolled around, Washington had enough to work with: 130 yards over eight games, modest production, but enough to sell the idea that his 13 yards per reception hinted at something useful downfield. His availability has never been pristine - he still hasn’t played in a dozen games in a season, and he logged only five outings in his final year in Tennessee - but the upside was obvious enough for the Commanders to take the shot.
They’ve leaned into that shot hard. Over a six-game sample, Burks has been used as a vertical weapon, and the numbers reflect it: a career-best 10.6 yards per target on 22 targets, plus 19.4 yards per reception, another high-water mark.
He’s averaging 38.8 yards per game, just shy of the 40.4 he once posted as a Titans rookie. The Commanders have clearly decided his value lives in the long game.
He’s also earning those targets in a way that keeps the staff coming back. After a dropped pass from point-blank range on his first target in Week 8 against the Eagles, Washington still went back to him four more times, and Burks turned that into 81 yards on three catches. That kind of response says plenty about the trust he’s built.
McLaurin’s absence has opened a starting spot alongside slot options like Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams, and Daniels has benefited from having more help around him. Burks now sits in the mix ahead of reserve types like Luke McCaffrey and Dyami Brown, and his role feels more secure than it did when he first arrived.
The need for him showed up again in Washington’s latest game, a 20-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, where Burks was unavailable. With a thin group that included Diggs, Williams, Chig Okonkwo, and surprise contributor Van Jefferson, the Commanders missed the physicality and touch Burks brings. If he’s back for Thursday’s rematch with the Giants in New York, that matters.
Washington has basically given Burks a second draft, and he’s starting to look like a player worth building around in that specific role. The Commanders should keep feeding him downfield looks even when the rest of the receiver room gets healthier. It took time to unlock, but now that it’s there, there’s no reason to put it back away.
In Other News...
Luke McCaffrey Spotted A Giants Loophole The Commanders Needed
Luke McCaffrey gave the Commanders a little hidden value on special teams in the game against the Giants, and Dan Quinn noticed. On a kickoff sequence that could have been easy to overlook, McCaffrey recognized the ball was headed for a situation the NFL rules treat differently once it goes out of bounds, and he handled it in a way that helped Washington avoid a worse starting spot.
Instead of letting the moment turn into a routine dead-ball reset, McCaffreys awareness helped set the Commanders up at the 40-yard line. It was the kind of smart, situational play coaches love because it comes from understanding the fine print, and it gave Washington an extra edge in a game where every field-position advantage matters. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Rookie Sparks Concern After Strange Sideline Moment Vs Commanders
A strange sideline scene briefly stole attention from the Giants-Commanders matchup in Week 10 when rookie Cam Skattebo was seen vomiting during the game. Sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung noted the moment, and the broadcast booth of Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit also addressed it as medical staff checked on him.
Skattebo appeared to be fine afterward, and the episode did not keep him from staying involved in the game. He later found the end zone in the second quarter, turning an odd and concerning moment into just another footnote in a matchup that already had enough going on. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Win Is Fueling A Brutal Giants Postgame Debate
The Giants 24-21 loss to Washington in Week 10 has lingered well past the final whistle because of what happened on the games last two throws. Head coach John Harbaugh pointed to the defensive look Washington showed, saying the Commanders came with zero blitzes and left routes that were supposed to be available. It was the kind of late-game sequence that usually gets replayed, dissected and second-guessed, especially in a one-score finish.
J.J. McCarthy did not try to dodge the moment afterward. He took responsibility for the interception on the final possession and said he could have handled the situation differently. For Washington, the win is another line in the standings, but for the Giants it has turned into a fresh debate about execution, decision-making and whether the offense read the moment the way it needed to. [Read more 🡒]