Terry McLaurin is already liking what the Washington Commanders added this offseason, and he’s not hiding how he sees it fitting together.
After Washington signed Stefon Diggs to a one-year deal following his lone season with the New England Patriots, McLaurin said the move gives the offense another big piece as the team heads into the 2026 NFL campaign. The veteran receiver, entering his eighth year with the Commanders, has long been one of the team’s most productive players and is now set to line up with another proven target.
“With me and Diggs, adding Diggs was huge for us,” McLaurin said, per Hogs Haven. “We are just looking forward to being weapons for Jayden.”
Diggs sounds just as eager about the fit. At his introductory news conference in Washington, he made it clear what he wants out of this stage of his career and why the Commanders appealed to him.
“At this stage in my career, everybody knows what I want,” Diggs said during his introductory news conference with Washington, per USA Today. “I wanna win, and I wanna hold a trophy up.
So what a better place to do it than back home. And got to work every day to try to get there, but here I am putting one foot in front of the other.”
Washington’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins gave McLaurin a first look at the direction this offense could take, with Jayden Daniels now at the center of it and Diggs added to the mix.
The Commanders are trying to push back toward serious playoff relevance with Daniels and McLaurin leading the way, and the Diggs addition gives them another layer to work with in 2026.
McLaurin’s 2025 season was interrupted by injuries, limiting him to 10 games. He finished with 38 catches for 582 yards and three touchdowns, ending a five-year run of 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
The team is also aiming to rebound from a 5-12 season that was slowed by injuries. Washington wants to get back to the playoffs after a one-year absence and snap a five-year NFC East title drought.
The regular season starts on the road, with a Week 1 trip to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Face A Quarterback Depth Problem To Watch
Marcus Mariotas brief work against the Dolphins was supposed to be a routine preseason tune-up, a chance for Washington to keep evaluating its quarterback room behind the starter. Instead, the veteran backup exited early after completing a 22-yard pass, leaving the Commanders to scramble for answers and reminding everyone how quickly quarterback depth can become a real concern in August.
The timing mattered because Washington was already leaning on other arms once Mariota went out, and the rest of the night underscored how little margin for error there is at the position. Head coach Dan Quinn had no immediate update after the game, which leaves the Commanders waiting on the health of a player they were counting on to steady things if needed. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Graphic Just Sparked A Jayden Daniels Debate Before Kickoff
A Dolphins preseason game-day graphic quickly turned into a talking point for Washington fans because it featured running back Jaylen Wright wearing No. 5, the same number worn by Jayden Daniels. The image arrived just as Daniels has been tied up in a separate jersey dispute with LSU over the use of No. 5, giving the graphic an immediate extra layer of context for anyone following the Commanders quarterback.
Miami has not said the post was meant as a jab or a reference to Daniels, but the timing was enough to set off plenty of speculation online. For Commanders fans, it was another reminder that Daniels profile has grown beyond the field, with even a preseason graphic drawing attention whenever his number shows up in the wrong place. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Get Early Encouragement And One Immediate QB Concern
The preseason opener gave Washington plenty to like in a 20-7 win over Miami, especially on a night when the defense spent much of the evening dictating terms. The Commanders intercepted three passes, the running game found the end zone twice with Robert Henry Jr. and Kaytron Allen, and the overall performance offered an early look at a roster trying to build momentum before the games count.
Marcus Mariota got the start at quarterback, but his night ended early because of a leg injury, which immediately shifted the focus from the result to his availability. Sam Hartman stepped in and helped lead scoring drives, giving Washington at least one encouraging answer behind center while the bigger question now is how long the Commanders will have to wait to know more about Mariota. [Read more 🡒]