Has Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin finally found stability at quarterback?
McLaurin, entering his sixth NFL season, will have a sixth different opening-day quarterback come Week 1. He’s caught passes from even more quarterbacks. Yet, through it all, McLaurin has never complained, exemplified top-notch class and leadership at every turn, and always gave it his all on the practice field and during games.
McLaurin still thrived on the field despite the constant chaos at quarterback, going for over 1,000 yards each of the last four seasons.
As for the quarterback position, McLaurin said the right things, stating that he believed in his quarterback and would do everything he could to help him.
In rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, McLaurin may have finally found the quarterback he’s waited for since being drafted in 2019.
During Washington’s minicamp earlier this month, McLaurin praised Daniels on every level. In an appearance on ESPN’s Sportscenter with Scott Van Pelt, McLaurin continued to lavish praise on his young quarterback.
“You don’t have to tell what to do when it comes to practice,” McLaurin said. “He’s out there early; he’s getting warmed up. And if he doesn’t like a rep that went down in practice, he’s like, ‘Hey, Terry, come over here, let’s get this rep again.’ And I think that’s a testament to his work ethic and how he tries to prepare each and every day in practice. He treats every practice and every rep like it’s a game-rep situation.”
McLaurin praised Daniels for his knowledge of an offense he’s playing in for the first time. He noted how offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury already had several installs of the offense complete by the time the rookies arrived, and he tried to integrate them slowly. However, it looked like Daniels had already known the entire offense, saying he was calling the plays and huddles almost immediately upon arriving.
“He’s extremely confident,” McLaurin said. “It’s a testament to his preparation and the studying he did on his own, but also, I just think the kid loves ball, and he has a good feel for the game. I think he really came in with the right mindset and energy and guys are already gravitating to him.”
There are a lot of encouraging nuggets from this interview, particularly regarding how hard Daniels prepares. Not every rookie quarterback is ready for that type of commitment. Daniels has already been preparing like a pro long before his first NFL game.
McLaurin also said players are already gravitating toward Daniels. That’s a big deal for a rookie quarterback.
It’s early, but Jayden Daniels continues to win over everyone in Washington, particularly the ones who matter the most.