Terry McLaurin had caused a slight shakeup in Washington during the offseason when he demanded a contract extension. McLaurin was eventually handed a three-year deal worth up to $96 million, and he was very much living up to it, leading the Commanders in receiving yards.
However, he suffered an injury in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders, putting the Commanders in a tough position with Jayden Daniels also nursing an injury.
Terry McLaurin’s Game Status for Week 4 vs. Falcons
McLaurin exited Washington’s Week 3 matchup against the Raiders with a quadriceps injury, and head coach Dan Quinn has since confirmed that the star wideout will miss Sunday’s game against the Falcons.
“Yeah, it’s a quad injury, just again, working as hard as he can to come back from it and he’s putting all the work in. So, I would say he’s week-to-week as we’re hitting it and see what next week brings and where he is at. And most people know that when it turns, then it goes quicker. So, we’ll just see where he gets into by next week,” Quinn said.
According to PFSN’s Zachary Knerr, the problem surfaced after a deep reception that set the Commanders up at the 1-yard line. McLaurin did not return to the game, remaining on the sideline without his helmet, and was later ruled out on Saturday’s injury report.
The good news for Washington, though, is that McLaurin has not been placed on injured reserve, leaving the door open for a return in the near future. The receiver has consulted multiple doctors and is ͏not expected to͏ require surgery, which indicates that rest and rehabilitation ͏remain the primary focus.
Elsewhere on the injury list, safety Percy Butler, WR Noah Brown, TE John Bates, and QB Jayden Daniels are also ruled out for Sunday’s game. Daniels is sidelined with a knee sprain, leaving Marcus Mariota as the starter, while rookie Jaylin Lane, second-year pro Luke McCaffrey, and veteran Chris Moore are replacement options for McLaurin.
Before exiting, McLaurin was Washington’s leading receiver of the match and the season, recording 10 catches for 149 yards, including a 56-yard catch and run. That performance reflected his standard in the 2024 season: He caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 14 catches for 227 yards and three touchdowns in the postseason.
Without McLaurin, the Commanders will lean heavily on Deebo Samuel, with McCaffrey, Lane, and Moore expected to play larger roles in the passing game. The matchup against Atlanta will be an early test of Washington’s depth, and how well the supporting cast delivers could determine whether the Commanders keep pace in the NFC race while their star receiver recovers.
