ClutchPoints
Even though the Washington Commanders are struggling to get things worked out with Terry McLaurin’s contract, the wide receiver position is still a potential strength. And it’s a place where a current first-stringer is one of two players in danger of losing a starting job ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
Noah Brown, slotted in as WR3 on the Commanders’ depth chart, according to ESPN, is the player who must work to stay in the starting lineup.
And the other player resides on the offensive line. Right tackle Andrew Wylie might not be able to hold off impressive rookie Josh Conerly Jr.
In 2024, the Commanders struggled to find consistency at the wide receiver position despite stellar play from quarterback Jayden Daniels. The addition of Deebo Samuel makes a nice difference as it gives the Commanders a strong one-two punch along with McLaurin. That is, as long as the Commanders get things worked out with McLaurin’s contract.
Washington is failing in that regard, according to a post on X by First Take via on3.com.
“Respectfully, Washington, you were a dumpster fire for years. You were a laughing stock,” Orlovsky said. “The only good thing about your organization was that young man. Every year, he did it. Year after year after year, for like five or six years, with disaster all around you. He was the only reason why anyone spoke somewhat positively about your organization.
“If you don’t have him, you erase everything that you did last year. Everything that you did. I’m being respectful to Dan Quinn and Adam Peters and what they did last year. You need him.”
McLaurin’s absence would change the situation for Brown. But if McLaurin gets reeled in, Brown will have to fight off challenges from rookie Jaylin Lane, second-year player Luke McCaffrey, and veteran Michael Gallup.
Wide receiver coach Bobby Engram recently sang the praises of Lane, according to commanders.com.
“Jaylin’s a super smart guy,” Engram said. “He’s a coach’s son, so he gets to exercise on different level. Love his work ethic, but my job is to help him prepare just to kind of tap into every ounce of potential that he has, and he’s willing to work and do that. So, I’m excited about that.”
As for McCaffrey, Engram said the growth rate is obvious.
“Route running, run after the catch, contested catches, really everything,” Engram said. “But I thought Luke did a great job of just staying the course last year. Got out, took a bit of a hot start, and then things kind of cooled off a little bit. But he never wavered in his approach and his work ethic.”
Lane has been getting a bunch of first-team reps, according to washingtonpost.com. But there’s a caveat, according to Adam Kilgore.
“It can be foolish to evaluate players when only they and coaches know what the offense and defense are specifically trying to accomplish on a given play,” Kilgore wrote. “But...
