Terry McLaurin’s 2025 season didn’t go as planned - for him or for the Washington Commanders. After a contract standoff kept him off the field during training camp and preseason, a quad/hip flexor injury in Week 3 sidelined him for most of the year.
By the end of the season, McLaurin had just 38 catches for 582 yards and three touchdowns. For a player who’s been the heartbeat of Washington’s receiving corps, those numbers were a far cry from what fans - and McLaurin himself - have come to expect.
But with a new offensive coordinator in town, there’s real optimism that McLaurin’s bounce-back season is already being drawn up.
David Blough is putting Terry McLaurin at the center of the Commanders’ offensive reboot
New OC David Blough isn’t wasting time making his priorities clear. He wants McLaurin to be the focal point of the passing game - and he’s not being subtle about it.
“This thing’s going to be built around, how do we get Terry 10 targets a game?” Blough said earlier this week.
Now, whether that number is literal or aspirational doesn’t really matter. The message is clear: McLaurin is going to be featured, and featured heavily. That’s a big shift from the past couple of years, when the star wideout often felt like an afterthought in the game plan - especially under former coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
Even in 2024, when McLaurin earned second-team All-Pro honors and put together one of the best seasons of his career, he saw just 117 targets - his fewest since 2019. And in 2025, had he played all 17 games, he was on pace for only 102. For a receiver with McLaurin’s route-running ability, hands, and after-the-catch toughness, that kind of usage doesn’t add up.
Blough clearly agrees.
McLaurin’s track record proves he’s still a WR1 - he just needs the volume
When healthy, McLaurin has been remarkably consistent. He’s topped 1,000 receiving yards in every full season of his career outside of his rookie campaign.
He’s a technician with the ball in the air, a tough cover for any corner, and a reliable presence in clutch moments. But too often, Washington’s offense has gone away from him - whether by design or by circumstance.
The goal now is to reverse that trend.
Blough’s offense is expected to be more tailored to McLaurin’s strengths - think quicker reads, more isolation routes, and a higher volume of designed looks. That’s good news for quarterback Jayden Daniels, who already has a strong connection with McLaurin and could benefit from having a true No. 1 target he can trust in high-leverage situations.
And with Deebo Samuel Sr.’s future uncertain heading into free agency, the Commanders’ receiving corps could be in for a shake-up. That makes McLaurin’s role even more critical. He’s the proven commodity in the room, and Blough is smart to build around him.
What success looks like in 2026
Nobody’s saying McLaurin needs to go out and score 13 touchdowns or lead the league in yards. But he does need to be treated like the elite wideout he is - someone who can tilt coverages, dictate defensive game plans, and make life easier for a young quarterback still finding his way.
If Blough can scheme him into 8-10 quality targets per game - not just empty looks, but meaningful chances to move the chains and flip field position - the Commanders' offense could take a major step forward.
For McLaurin, 2026 is shaping up as a statement season. He’s healthy, motivated, and finally in an offense that looks ready to feature him the way he deserves. If Washington wants to turn the page on a disappointing 2025 campaign, getting No. 17 back to being the centerpiece of the passing game is a great place to start.