ASHBURN, Va. — Sunday morning at Washington Commanders camp started with one bang and ended with another, both delivered by wide receivers. Terry McLaurin reported to the team, going from holdout to hold-in, and was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle issue.
McLaurin, who is still seeking a new contract and previously expressed that he likely wouldn’t take the field without one, said it was “weird” watching his teammates practice without him, but “it’s the business right now. He’s “just trying to take things day by day.” He signed countless autographs well after practice ended, and fans — in attendance for the first time — chanted “Terry” throughout the morning.
McLaurin’s agent, Buddy Baker, was also in attendance, as negotiations continue.
It’s a strategic move by McLaurin — part olive branch, part a reminder of what the Commanders are missing — and certainly a step toward a solution. How much closer they get, and how quickly, remains TBD.
The other top moment came via rookie wide receiver Jaylin Lane. In the final team portion of practice, the offense received the ball at the opponents’ 40-yard line with 30 seconds left, trailing by six points — a simulation of the type of situational football in which Washington (and especially Jayden Daniels) thrived last year.
Daniels delivered again.
With five seconds left, Daniels got good protection before unleashing a rocket toward the back corner of the end zone. Lane climbed the ladder, reeling in the high throw over two defenders and coming down, seemingly, in bounds. The offense mobbed the fourth-round pick out of Virginia Tech, while the defenders adamantly pleaded their case that he was out of bounds.
Regardless, it was a stunning throw and catch and a good moment for Lane, who has been up and down early in camp. He also made a few other catches on the day, including one when he did a good job getting away from Kevon Seymour om an intermediate route over the middle. Lane had a few opportunities to show off his 4.34 speed, and that was one of them. He also muffed a punt, though.
Here’s what else stood out:
Mike Sainristil makes the defensive play of camp
On Friday, when the defense dominated, Mike Sainristil picked off Daniels’ first pass of 11-on-11 drills, nabbing a ball Quan Martin knocked away from Zach Ertz. Sunday’s practice was much more even — both sides of the ball had good moments — but it certainly started like Friday’s session. Mike Sainristil made a spectacular interception on a deep ball intended for Lane. The pictures (and even the video) don’t do it justice.
Dorance Armstrong, it should be noted, would have had a sack on the play after beating Brandon Coleman.
Sainristil, Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos lead what should be a much-improved cornerback group.
With no McLaurin, other pass catchers are getting extra opportunities to stake their claim. Sunday, that mainly meant Noah Brown — who registered a pair of receptions from Daniels in short order, getting good separation on a stop route and then finding an opening against zone coverage three plays later — and Luke McCaffrey, who had a pair of nice catches in team drills, including one contested catch over the middle from Marcus Mariota. McCaffrey also had a drop on a short throw.
Tay Martin made a couple of catches, including a nice connection with Mariota on a deep in. Martin broke free from Bobby Price on the play, and Mariota delivered a well-placed ball.
Some notes on the trenches
Coach Dan Quinn made no bones about the Commanders’ efforts to upgrade the offensive line and defense line this offseason.
“Let’s face it, the NFL, it’s a line of scrimmage league, and you’ve got to be rock solid on both sides of the line of scrimmage,” Quinn said. “So, I love seeing [Coleman] and [Javon Kinlaw] battling for it. Those two just keep rising, keep pushing each other and their best also brings out your best.”
Washington’s first-team offensive line featured All-Pro tackle Laremy Tunsil, acquired from the Houston Texans this offseason, at left tackle, Coleman at left guard, Tyler Biadasz at center, Nick Allegretti at right guard and Andrew Wylie at right tackle.
First-round rookie right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. was with the second team for the second-straight day. He showed some solid moments, including back-to-back wins against Javontae Jean-Baptiste — once standing him up at the point of attack, once pushing him around the edge — after Jean-Baptiste had a good rush against him.
Coleman, after getting beat on the aforementioned Sainristil pick, put in a strong rep shortly thereafter, getting to the second level and opening up a hole for Brian Robinson Jr.
“When coaches go out there and want to buck up the O-line, it is going to put a smile on my face every time,” Robinson said. “You bring guys like [Tunsil] in here to just help our unit be better, it’s amazing. So, I’m excited for it, I’m always thankful when they try to go get me some Pro Bowl left tackle, so I’ll never be against that.”
The defensive line, meanwhile, is almost completely remade, led by offseason additions Javon Kinlaw, Von Miller Deatrich Wise Jr., Eddie Goldman and Jacob Martin. It’s a deep, deep group, and the best example of that is who isn’t getting to play as much. Clelin Ferrell, for example, played in 14 games last season, starting 10. He mostly ran with the third and second teams Sunday. Don’t read into that too much; it more just proves how much more depth and versatility there is.
Odds and ends: Matt Gay kicks well
- Matt Gay made all five kicks — from 28, 33, 38, 43 and 48 — in one special teams session. After using four different kickers last season, Washington would love for Gay to be the answer. He was one of the NFL’s best in 2021 and 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams but wasn’t as effective each of the last two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
- Car’lin Vigers had another pass breakup, this one on a slightly underthrown deep ball from Maiota. Vigers, an undrafted free agent cornerback, has flashed a few times. He a good job playing through the ball on this instance.
- Kinlaw is truly a massive human being and a physical specimen. He brings a ton of power and has some of the biggest arms I’ve ever seen. On one play, he pushed an offensive lineman right into Daniels’ lap and likely would have had a sack. (Daniels ended up completing a pass to Chris Moore.)
- Speaking of impressive athletes, Mike Strachan had a drop on one deep pass but then had a terrific catch over Bobby Price for a touchdown from Sam Hartman. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Strachan stands out — literally and figuratively — among the wide receivers.
- Quinn helped get the crowd fired up early. It wasn’t not that long ago that this franchise didn’t even have bleachers for them to watch. Sunday’s crowd was large and energetic ahead of the most-anticipated season in decades.
