What stands out to you about this year’s Washington Commanders up to this point?
Some might point to the constant narrative around Brandon Aiyuk, which never came true. Others might say the devastating injury to left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Others might respond with the dismal performance against the Ravens in the scrimmage and preseason game.
What about veteran receiver Terry McLaurin? How do you think he would answer that question? Scott Abraham of ABC 7 in Washington, D.C., asked Thursday, and here is what No. 17 had to say.
“I feel like the Day 1 approach really stood out to me,” McLaurin said. “I remember DQ [Dan Quinn] getting his leaders together. He put a few clips together of 2024 and 2025 stating what the standard should look like and when
it didn’t.”
Terry McLaurin. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/qfSl3hKe6h
— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) October 30, 2022
McLaurin has been the WR1 in Washington for the past seven seasons. This is his eighth season in the NFL, and McLaurin feels Quinn has changed in his leadership a bit this offseason. "The way he is holding us accountable has even gone up a bit this year. He has expected more of us (this year) than he has in the past. Also, he has allowed the leaders to take more of the team. So, there is a lot more self-policing. There’s more accountability coming from the players.”
Yes, it’s early. The Commanders have gone through mini-camps, OTAs, training camp, and now preseason games. It's easier to be together, stay together, and build the brotherhood when the games don’t even count. Now the real bullets start flying, Sunday in Philadelphia.
But McLaurin is not new to this; he knows how to lead in the offseason and during the regular season. “I think a joy and a competitiveness is in this building. The joy of being out here, of creating this culture, creating this team, the identity we want to put on display. But also the competitiveness.”
McLaurin did not play for a winner in his first five NFL seasons. Washington put together five seasons with no winning records. Even the 2020 NFC East Champs finished at just 7-9. But in 2024, McLaurin caught a team-record 13 touchdown passes, and the Commanders finished 12-5. Yet this camp stands out to McLaurin. "I’ve been here for a while; that was one of the most competitive camps I have been a part of.”
For a solid week, the talk was the “inoperable offense” and the terrible 41-3 preseason loss to the Ravens. The media apparently were not the only ones talking about it. “You could just feel the click with everybody, that we needed to take steps forward if we wanted to put ourselves in a situation to be confident going into this week.”
McLaurin has grown into a vocal, effective leader. If the Commanders are to have a winning season, they will need a good year from No. 17.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders’ Terry McLaurin reveals what changed for the better
