New Rankings Put Commanders’ $68 Million WR Among NFL’s Best

Getty Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

The Washington Commanders may have finally found their franchise quarterback of the future with 2024 No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels.

Now, one of their longtime veterans and a beloved star might be ready to get his due.

PFF’s Sam Monson placed Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin on his list of the 32 best wide receivers in the NFL ahead of the 2024 season, slotting the Pro Bowler at No. 18.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson took the No. 1 spot.

“The Sam Howell experiment didn’t go well last season, but Washington will be hoping rookie Jayden Daniels can become the answer at quarterback, giving Terry McLaurin the quarterback he has deserved for his entire career so far,” Monson wrote. “He caught 50% of his contested targets last season and had only four drops all year.”

McLaurin is entering his sixth season since the Commanders drafted him in the third round (No. 76 overall) out of Ohio State in 2019.

McLaurin has started every game for the Commanders the last three seasons and has four consecutive season of at least 1,000 receiving yards.

McLaurin Toils Away on One of NFL’s Worst Teams

McLaurin has spent the entirety of his career to this point toiling away as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers on one of the NFL’s worst teams.

Since McLaurin joined the Commanders in 2019, the franchise has an overall record of 29-53-1 and hasn’t had a winning record. They’ve played in the postseason, once, losing in the NFC Wild Card Round in 2020, and have finished in last place in the NFC East three times.

When the 2024 season kicks off with Dan Quinn as Washington’s new heaad coach, McLaurin will have played for four different head coaches and 11 different starting quarterbacks in six seasons — incredible turnover even for professional sports and the NFL.

One thing the Commanders did well in that stretch was making sure McLaurin got a contract worthy of his level of play, signing him to a 3-year, $68.3 million contract extension in March 2022.

Commanders Offense Should Be Better in 2024

It’s hard to see the Commanders’ offense not making a big leap forward in 2024 after going 4-13 in 2023 — problems exacerbated by Howell leading the NFL in sacks taken (65) and interceptions (21).

The Commanders not only added Daniels in the 2024 draft, they also bring in dynamic offensive players in Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott, a second-round pick, and Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey, a third-round pick.

They also signed free-agent running back Austin Ekeler and free-agent tight end Zach Ertz. Ekeler has three consecutive seasons of over 1,000 yards of total offense and Ertz is a three-time Pro Bowler.

“Ertz knows offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s system from their days with the Arizona Cardinals, and he can be an effective option as a tight end operating in the slot,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote. “He’ll be helpful to others who will need to learn a new offense. Ertz can also provide a security blanket for a rookie quarterback, assuming Washington drafts one with the second overall pick.

“Because it’s a low-cost signing there’s no real risk. Ertz has been hit impacted by injuries each of the last two seasons — a quadriceps injury in 2023 and a knee the previous year.”