The loss of Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin left a gaping hole on their roster. Former Commanders head coach Jay Gruden weighed in on who he believed would step up in his absence, including Treylon Burks and rookie Antonio Williams.
“I think Treylon Burks is probably the guy,” Gruden told “Grant and Danny” of 106.7 The Fan. “They want more from Stefon Diggs. He’s getting a little bit older. I think his snap count should be around 35 to 40 a game and Antonio’s a guy that’s got to step up. He’s a rookie, and he’s probably talent-wise, he can do a little bit of everything. I’m interested to see how he does. Dyami Brown, who knows? Maybe he’ll get some opportunities too. But, do it by, you know, committee. You don’t have to have one
guy do it. There’s been a lot of teams out there that have been successful that spread the ball around. Let all of them get a few touches. Let this Chig guy make some plays at the tight end. Let Rachaad White make some plays out of the backfield or Austin Ekeler or whoever it might be. You got to spread the ball around, and then Jayden can use his legs some. So, by committee, that’s the way they got to do it.”
Burks seems like someone who could really step up. He was a former first-round pick for the Tennessee Titans and has shown flashes throughout his NFL career, including his touchdown grab in Washington’s lone win of the season against the Seattle Seahawks. Burks also had a season-high in targets (six), receptions (four) and receiving yards (66) in their last game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Jay Gruden breaks down what he thinks the Commanders receiver room pecking order looks like following Terry McLaurin's injury. pic.twitter.com/TtUXpkIquA
— 106.7 The Fan (@1067theFan) October 26, 2026
Williams has also flashed at times and scored a touchdown in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Tight end Chig Okonkwo missed some time due to injury, but has been a key part of Washington’s receiving game the past three weeks. The Commanders may not typically run a committee system, but it could work for them for the rest of the season with the talent they have. It also would not be surprising to see them trade for a receiver before the deadline.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Former Washington coach on how Commanders could replace Terry McLaurin
