The Washington Commanders lost one of their key playmakers to an injury during the first quarter of Monday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Receiver Terry McLaurin tangled with cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and grabbed his knee as he fell to the ground. McLaurin was carried off the field with an air thrown on his leg after the setback.
He was officially ruled out with a knee injury shortly after leaving the match.
Head coach Dan Quinn told reporters the injury was “significant” but more tests will be conducted Tuesday to determine the full extent of the setback.
The two-time Pro Bowler is one of Washington’s veteran leaders and will be nearly impossible to replace.
McLaurin topped 1,000 receiving yards in five straight seasons from 2020-2024 before injuries limited him to just 10 games in 2025. He also missed the Commanders’ Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts with a hamstring injury.
However, he returned for the next game against the New York Giants and had four catches for 62 yards.
The Ohio State product had one catch for 27 yards in Monday’s game before the injury.
Washington will have to find a way to replace McLaurin’s production by committee. Veteran Stefon Diggs figures to see more targets, while the combination of Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks and Antonio Williams will likely see more playing time.
Brown, Burks and Williams are all potential young building blocks who could be important playmakers for the remainder of this season and into the future.
But for now, commanders will have to adapt on the fly, without one of their leaders.
Gn sports
