Terry McLaurin knows exactly what made his 2024 season pop, and he’s not interested in pretending there’s some secret formula behind it.
The Commanders wideout put together one of the best years of his career under former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, now with the Rams, and finished with a career-high 13 touchdowns. McLaurin’s message was simple: the production has to come from him, regardless of who’s calling plays or who’s throwing the ball.
“I did have success in that offense. And I think as a receiver, if you want to be successful in this league, you’ve got to be able to produce no matter what your circumstances are. No matter what the offense is, the quarterback, whatever it is,” McLaurin said, via CommandersWire.
Elsewhere in the NFC, Eagles first-round receiver Makai Lemon is working through a hamstring issue that’s lingered all offseason and already cost him two preseason games. Lemon said the injury has forced him to slow down and handle things the right way.
“It was definitely tough,” Lemon said, via Brooks Kubena of The Athletic. “I’m real competitive.
Ain’t never want to be away from this game. So, me knowing that it’s the hamstring again, I’m just making sure I take the right precautions.
(I’m) learning from it so it doesn’t happen again.”
Eagles OC Sean Mannion said Lemon has stayed locked in throughout the recovery process and praised the way he’s handled the setback.
“Mentally, he’s been super engaged,” Mannion said. “I don’t worry about that one bit with Makai.
I know the work he’s been putting in. Injuries, unfortunately, they happen in football, but he’s been a total pro about his approach to rehab, his approach to the mental side of the game.
Like I said, the unfortunate nature of football is sometimes you might miss some time, but he’s done everything in his power despite not having those physical reps to be ready for us to make an impact.”
On the field, Eagles OLB Jalyx Hunt also noticed the way Lemon competes in the run game and doesn’t try to duck contact.
“Whenever a receiver has to block one of us, you kind of get to test the type of person he is on the field,” Hunt said. “So, he didn’t shy away from it.
He didn’t try to just get around me. He put hands on me and tried to really block me.
I respect that. And that’s cool to see.
‘Cause his demeanor on the field is totally different than who he is. He’s a laid-back guy, but on the field, he’s like, just a different energy, a different monster type of thing.
It was just cool seeing it.”
Over with the Giants, rookie running back Cam Skattebo is already leaving an impression for the kind of juice he brings every day. Head coach J ohn Harbaugh said the energy is obvious - even if it can spill over the edge at times.
“ Skatt’s great. He does bring a lot of energy, ” Harbaugh said, via PFT.
“ But he did get a 15-yard penalty at the end of practice. Did you notice that?
That’s not infectious. Well, it is infectious, actually.
Infectious in a bad way, right? Like infectious disease type of thing.
We don’t want that. So, we want it to be directed in a positive way.
”
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Familiar Offensive Line Gamble To Consider
Injuries and thin depth are already forcing the Commanders to keep a close eye on their offensive line, and a familiar name just hit the market at exactly the wrong time for the rest of the NFC East. The Giants released Evan Neal, the former top-10 pick whose career has been slowed by injuries and position changes, and that kind of move always gets attention in Washington when the trenches start looking shaky.
Evan Neal is hardly a clean solution, but the Commanders have taken this sort of swing before, and there is at least a recent template for why they might do it again. A low-cost depth add with starting experience can look a lot more appealing when the alternatives are moving pieces around and hoping the line holds together, which is what makes this possibility worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face An Urgent Center Decision Before Week 1
The Commanders have already gotten their roster down to 53 players, but the work in the middle of the offensive line is far from settled. Center has become a spot worth watching as injuries and recent releases have left Washington looking for stability before Week 1, and that uncertainty has pushed the team to keep scanning the waiver wire for help.
Kingsley Eguakun is one name worth tracking after his release from the Cleveland Browns, especially with his past connection to Washington offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton. For a team trying to steady the front before the season opens, adding a center with some familiarity in the building would make sense, but the next move still has to be made. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Cornerback Problem They Cant Ignore
Washington finalized its initial 53-man roster, but the numbers at cornerback already look a little thin. After a series of cuts and the move of Trey Amos to injured reserve, the Commanders are sitting with only three cornerbacks on the roster, a shape that does not leave much margin for a position that can get stressed quickly over the course of a season.
There is some roster maneuvering still to come, with veteran defensive tackle Shy Tuttle cut in a move that is expected to be temporary once Washington creates more space by placing Laremy Tunsil and Jer'Zhan Newton on injured reserve. Even with those transactions in motion, the cornerback room remains a spot to watch, and the Commanders may need to add help there before the opener if they want to feel comfortable about their depth. [Read more 🡒]