Terry McLaurin’s season is over. Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Tuesday that the Pro Bowl receiver tore his patellar tendon in Monday night’s 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed he’ll miss the rest of the year. McLaurin will have surgery.
He went down on a first-quarter sack of Jayden Daniels and finished with one catch for 27 yards. “He’s a brother to me. It sucks,” Daniels said after the game. “He’s been there for me through a lot since I came into this league.” At 1-4-1, Washington has a bye week to figure out how to replace its captain. Here are the four best options.
1. Lean harder on Stefon Diggs
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Diggs is the most obvious answer, and he’s already been Daniels’ most reliable target. The 32-year-old has 24 catches for 214 yards and a team-high four touchdown catches in five games, including a score against the 49ers. He isn’t the downfield threat McLaurin was at this stage, but he knows how to get open on third down and in the red zone, and his target share should climb right away.
2. Give rookie Antonio Williams a full-time role
Williams, a third-round pick out of Clemson, has been the Commanders’ best-graded receiver when he’s on the field. Through four games, he had a 76.0 receiving grade on 84 routes, according to PFF, the highest of any Washington wideout at that point. He caught three passes for 50 yards Monday night. Moving him into McLaurin’s spot on the outside is the move with the most long-term upside.
3. Find out what Treylon Burks can do
Burks led Commanders receivers with 66 yards on four catches against San Francisco, a 16.5-yard average that gives Daniels a vertical option. He has nine catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns this season. The former first-round pick has never stayed healthy long enough to be a true No. 1, but his size and speed are the closest thing on the roster to what McLaurin brought.
4. Trade for Brian Thomas Jr.
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If general manager Adam Peters wants a bigger swing before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, the Jacksonville Jaguars receiver is the name to watch. Brian Thomas Jr. had 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2024, but his role has shrunk in a crowded receiver room, and we’ve asked whether the Jaguars will trade Brian Thomas Jr. He has nine catches for 105 yards this year. A change of scenery could unlock the player Jacksonville drafted in the first round.
Whichever route the Commanders take, the clock is ticking. The heat is already building on Dan Quinn, and with Jalen Hurts out for the year in Philadelphia, Washington still sees an NFC East opening. Losing McLaurin makes it harder to take advantage of it.
More on the Washington Commanders
- Jayden Daniels, Commanders Dealt Unfortunate Terry McLaurin News
- Commanders Sink Toward the Bottom of NFL Power Rankings as the Heat Builds on Dan Quinn
- 49ers Awaiting NFL Punishment Decision After Jayden Daniels Incident
- Commanders Week 6 Stock Report: Jayden Daniels, 2 Pass Catchers Among Those Surging
