Does Terry McLaurin finally have a franchise quarterback?
Washington drafted McLaurin in 2019, and in five years, he’s caught passes from 11 different quarterbacks. When the Commanders open the 2024 NFL season in September, he will play with his sixth different Week 1 quarterback.
Despite all the chaos surrounding him, McLaurin has four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, one of only four NFL players with at least 75 receptions and 1,000 yards receiving over the last four seasons.
Regardless of how frustrating things have been around him, McLaurin never complains. He remains the ideal teammate and team leader. When McLaurin received his contract extension two summers ago, everyone was happy for him — fans, teammates, and those in the media who cover McLaurin every day.
So, it’s no surprise that McLaurin was named as “the one player to root for” from the Commanders.
McLaurin has long deserved better than the chaos that has often surrounded him in Washington, but it’s never stopped the former third-round pick from providing steady leadership and primo production. He accounts for 28.2 percent of the Commanders’ receiving yards since entering the league in 2019, which is the highest share of any team’s combined receiving yards during that span. And he’s done so with no consistency at quarterback. McLaurin can become the first player to post five straight seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards with each coming from a different primary starting QB. It seems likely he’ll accomplish the feat in 2024 with throws coming from immensely talented second overall pick Jayden Daniels, who has a chance to provide the stability McLaurin has never experienced in the NFL.
One thing stands out here: If McLaurin goes over 1,000 receiving yards in 2024, he’d become the first player in NFL history to do it five consecutive seasons with five different quarterbacks. That speaks volumes.
Most players in McLaurin’s position would have forced a trade. Not McLaurin. While he’s respected around the league, McLaurin is beloved by Washington fans.
