Terry McLaurin has spent years as the steadying force in Washington’s passing game, and now the Commanders have given him a running mate built to change the shape of the entire receiver room. With Stefon Diggs in the mix, one NFL coach sees the pairing as an ideal fit.
Asked about the duo, the coach told Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan that McLaurin and Diggs “are the perfect compliments.” McLaurin was asked about that line on Tuesday at Commanders training camp, and he didn’t push back.
“I think it’s pretty accurate. On the field we are definitely similar, and we play with a grit and a passion that is different.”
The fit makes sense on paper and, according to McLaurin, in the way each receiver wins. McLaurin is usually outside, where he can threaten down the field more often.
Diggs is more often in the slot, working the middle of the field with the kind of efficiency that has defined his career. McLaurin had plenty of praise for the veteran addition.
“He’s (Diggs) an unbelievable competitor. He’s played at the highest level. He’s played in a Super Bowl and been an All-Pro.”
For McLaurin, the addition of Diggs hasn’t just brought another proven target into the building. It has also introduced a different kind of leadership voice. McLaurin has been the face of Washington’s receiver group for years, but he says Diggs brings something he welcomes.
“He’s a lot more vocal, and I may be a bit more reserved. On the field, he is vocal that way, and I'm a different style of leader.
If I see things that need to be said, then I say them. I think that (we) piggyback off of one another in a way that we bring our personalities to life.”
McLaurin also made clear that the relationship is already going both ways. He said he’s been able to pick up things from Diggs, while Diggs has learned from him too.
“It’s been great having him here. I’ve definitely learned things from him; he’s learned things from me. I think it’s really going to be a fun season with us together in the same room.”
The Commanders’ receiver group has become one of the team’s deepest spots after the Diggs addition, and that has sparked plenty of speculation about whether Washington keeps six or seven wideouts and which players end up on the outside looking in. McLaurin said the competition has been sharpened by Diggs’ arrival.
“When you add him (Diggs), everybody’s level has to take a step up. It’s really cool to be a part of a group where the guys are so unselfish.
Also, the competition in that room is extremely high. We’re all happy for each other making plays.”
McLaurin and Diggs aren’t in any danger of being released, and Washington fans are hoping Jayden Daniels is healthy long enough this season to get the ball to both of them as much as possible in 2026.
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What Dan Quinn wants next is a more complete version of the back who already proved he can help carry the offense. The challenge now is pass protection, the kind of detail that can decide whether a runner is viewed as a situational weapon or a true three-down option, and that distinction could ripple through the Commanders roster plans. Elsewhere on the depth chart, defensive back Malik Spencer was waived with an injury designation and, after going unclaimed, reverted to injured reserve. [Read more 🡒]