Terry McLaurin contract extension saves Commanders offense

The Washington Commanders are excited to have wide receiver Terry McLaurin back on the field after he spent a majority of training camp on the sidelines healing from an ankle injury and settling a contract dispute.

Now that his ankle is healed and his contract is settled, the Commanders have McLaurin back on the field, where his offensive teammates should appreciate having him back in the lineup.

"Following its best season in decades, Washington could not afford to enter the 2025 campaign with the contract impasse hanging over them. The negotiations had already dominated headlines, beginning with McLaurin expressing his frustration in a 30-minute news conference July 15, failing to report to camp a week later, then holding out the first four days -- and being fined $200,000 -- before becoming a hold-in and requesting a trade, which, multiple team sources said, was not a surprise to the organization," ESPN insider John Keim wrote.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin celebrates after a touchdown reception with guard Sam Cosmi. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

McLaurin completely changes Commanders offense

McLaurin's presence on the field forces opposing defensive coordinators to change game plans, making the wide receiver's participation on the gridiron that much more important.

The Commanders added Deebo Samuel in the offseason to be McLaurin's No. 2 wideout, but with the latter out for most of the preseason, the team hasn't gotten much time to see the full product in action quite yet.

Now that McLaurin is able to practice, the Commanders should have their full offense in bloom as they look to embark on another season in which they try to be one of the best teams in the NFC.

The Commanders will return to the field for their Week 1 matchup when they take on the New York Giants. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. ET inside Northwest Stadium.

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