There aren't many positives to take away from the Washington Commanders' contract standoff with Terry McLaurin, which has officially turned into the most disappointing development of the offseason.
A player who has always been a consummate professional both on and off the field is now costing his team with self-imposed unavailability, despite being under contract to play in 2025.
That said, McLaurin's absence — along with an injury to Noah Brown — created an opportunity for the Commanders' other receivers to step up. So far, they seem to be making the most of it.
Offseason acquisition Deebo Samuel Sr. wasted no time making an impact by catching a dime from quarterback Jayden Daniels for a touchdown on the first play of training camp. Some of Washington's younger weapons have also impressed, with one in particular poised to make an impact this fall.
Luke McCaffrey is laying the foundations for a 2025 breakout at Commanders training camp
All of the buzz coming out of Ashburn is that the 2024 third-round pick has been one of the bright spots of training camp so far. He caught a touchdown from Daniels on Thursday and put together another impressive showing on Friday, according to Skylar Nelson from the Washington Informer.
McCaffrey struggled to accumulate targets last season, bringing in only 18 passes for 168 receiving yards and no touchdowns. The Rice product was buried on the depth chart behind McLaurin, Brown, Dyami Brown, and Olamide Zaccheaus.
All four of those players are currently either unavailable or no longer on the team. As the Commanders' depth chart stands, McCaffrey should be in play for the WR3 role, even with an active McLaurin.
He'll likely be competing for that slot with Brown and a fellow youngster in speedy rookie Jaylin Lane. Undrafted free agent Ja'Corey Brooks has also become a story throughout camp to give himself a fighting chance of making the squad.
It's McCaffrey who seems to have the highest upside, though. NFL stardom runs in his genes, and it's worth noting he is still adjusting to the wide receiver position after playing mostly as a quarterback until his final two years of college. He has all of the tools to thrive in Kliff Kingsbury's offensive system, and his skills can be utilized in a variety of different ways.
Year 2 will be crucial for his development. McCaffrey's been presented with a golden opportunity to leap in production, and so far, he's making the most of it.
We'll see if it translates into the regular season.
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