Wide receiver Terry McLaurin’s continued absence over a contract dispute has created some “silver linings” for coach Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders — he’s had a better chance to evaluate the rest of the receiving group, for better or worse.
The McLaurin-less receivers have failed to impress during training camp, except for the newly acquired Deebo Samuel, who has routinely made highlight plays in practices. His role has only increased as fellow receiver Noah Brown has joined McLaurin on the injury report.
“A silver lining is the extra time that he has now with [quarterback Jayden Daniels.] When [Brown and McLaurin] aren’t there, he gets more,” Quinn said Tuesday. “Sometimes there are unintended consequences that can take place that you see that are good. And I think that would be one of those that you’re probably seeing now.”
McLaurin made his first public appearance in more than a week on Tuesday, though he’s still stuck on the “physically unable to perform” list with an ankle injury.
Donning a hooded burgundy sweatshirt, he spoke with Commanders general manager Adam Peters ahead of practice. During the scrimmage, he chatted with star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who endured his least productive session of training camp.
There’s still no end in sight for the standoff between player and team.
“You want everybody, as the coach, out on the field at every practice, at every game. I also know that that’s not reality either,” Quinn said. “I just try to make sure I just keep pouring into the guys, keep digging into it.”
The thin receiver room got cut in half Tuesday for an intrasquad scrimmage, which Quinn titled the “Burgundy and Gold Game.”
Peters joined the coaching staff to divide the 90-man roster into two teams to allow for an emphasis on game management and allow for players buried on the depth chart to make their case for a roster spot.
Quinn took a back seat, allowing coordinators Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. to serve as head coaches for their respective squads. Kingsbury took the first-team offense on the “Burgundy” team, while Whitt led the top defenders on the “Gold” team.
With McLaurin sidelined, quarterback Jayden Daniels looked to receivers Samuel, Luke McCaffrey, K.J. Osborn, Michael Gallup and Jaylin Lane during the two-quarter scrimmage. They were unsuccessful.
The first-team defense smothered Daniels’ group, forcing several three-and-outs and pitching a shutout. The offensive line couldn’t keep blitzing linebackers from harrying Daniels. The receivers couldn’t separate from the defensive backs, including standout rookie Trey Amos.
Meanwhile, backup quarterback Sam Hartman led the second-stringers on a pair of touchdown drives for the Gold team.
As the scrimmage wore on, frustration grew for the players in burgundy jerseys. Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene was particularly chirpy, sharing an intense exchange with linebacker Bobby Wagner after hitting an offensive player near the sideline toward the end of the exhibition.
“At the end of the day, it’s not us versus them or offense versus defense,” a calmer Igbinoghene said after practice. “We’re a team. That’s the most important thing.”
Whitt’s group, led by Hartman and the defensive starters, walked away with a 14-0 victory. They left with bragging rights and “All Ashburn” T-shirts to mark the occasion.
By the time they left the field, any bad blood was already extinguished.
“We’re all teammates at the end of the day. The junk stays in between the lines,” safety Jeremy Reeves said after handing his “All Ashburn” shirt to his fiancee. “That’s where it ends. It was cool to get out here and compete. We’re giving feedback to each other after.”
There was no word from the team on whether those warm feelings extended to McLaurin. His teammates have routinely supported his negotiations, but the two-time Pro Bowler has said he felt disrespected and undervalued by the front office.
Despite requesting a trade nearly two weeks ago, McLaurin is still a Commander. And, according to a recent report from ESPN, he’s likely to stay that way.
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler estimated that there’s a “20%” chance that McLaurin and the Commanders will continue their stalemate into the regular season.
“There’s a little bit of a chance where whatever disrespect he’s felt fuels him to dig in even more,” Fowler told 106.7 “The Fan.” “That’s a big decision. Most players don’t take that route, so I’d be surprised.”
The Commanders — likely without McLaurin — will return to practice on Thursday as they prepare for their second preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.