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The Washington Commanders have their sights set on the Bears for Monday Night Football. However, they may have to go without Terry McLaurin, who missed practice on Thursday despite Dan Quinn’s optimistic take, according to a post on X by Ben Standig.
“We have an injury report. DNPs for Terry McLaurin… Deebo Samuel… and Chris Rodriguez. Deebo missed two practices last week before diving up the Chargers.”
McLaurin hasn’t played since the team’s Week 3 win over the Raiders. He had his best game of the season with three catches for 74 yards, but got injured late.
It’s a mixed bag for the Commanders’ receiver room. With McLaurin still struggling, the Commanders got the good news that Noah Brown could return for Week 6, according to Sports Illustrated.
“You’ll see Noah out at practice today,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “Terry won’t. And then with the extra day, we’ll just kind of work our way through with Terry to see where we’re at. And just kind of watch as we’re going through it with he and Noah both.”
The good news for the Commanders is that they have gotten unexpected mileage from rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. This has helped the offense become the NFL’s best at running the football through five weeks.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner said he likes what he has seen from Croskey-Merritt, according to Fox Sports.
“He’s a tough runner,” Wagner told me. “He’s patient. As a tackler, it’s tough when you have a patient guy because he’s reading the gaps like you are. And as soon as you pop around, he finds that gap and hits it. He’s special. Very mature.”
And when the ground game is humming, it makes it easier for receivers to get open. So that can help make things easier to move the football while the Commanders wait for McLaurin to return.
McLaurin played in 14 games as a rookie, and then 15 in his second season. But over the past four years, McLaurin didn’t miss a starting assignment. So the injury is unfortunate. But it’s also not shocking, as high-profile athletes who hold out deep into the preseason often get injury dings in the regular season.
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