ASHBURN, VA (WTKR) — The first day of practice is in the books for the 2025 Commanders.
The unavoidable headline for the entire camp is the holdout of All-Pro wideout Terry McLaurin. He's been seeking an extension since the season wrapped up in January. The market for wide receivers is flooded with wealth, with eight receivers making over $30 million a year.
McLaurin was officially placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list. For each day he misses, he'll be fined $50,000.
Compensation is currently the driving force behind the divide between the two sides. Despite these complications, there's no change in the necessity of having a teammate like McLaurin back on the field.
"I know [Adam Peters and his team] are working hard to go do that, but it's part of the business of our league and this happens on teams all over," Head Coach Dan Quinn stated. "We think the world of him. I think Adam referenced that yesterday. That's why we're trying to extend it. We hold him in really high regard. We love him."
"Me and Terry have a great relationship," quarterback Jayden Daniels said. “Whenever that time comes and he’s back on the field, I don’t think we’ll miss a beat.”
As they await the return of their leading receiver, the Commanders are focused on leaving 2024 behind them. That may be hard to do after such a successful campaign. For them, however, it's Lombardi or bust. No matter how many firsts last year was for their players, they aren't satisfied.
"We're fortunate that last year we came up with some standards that we want as Commanders," Quinn noted. "This is our Commander standard, and it was written by the players."
The leader of this new culture is their star quarterback. You couldn't ask for a better rookie season out of Daniels. A historic playoff run has expectations set sky-high for the former Heisman Trophy winner. He's no stranger to the spotlight, however, and is steadfast on improving his game.
“[I worked on my] footwork, my control within the pocket; maneuvering, keeping my eyes downfield, putting myself in different situations where I might have to emulate breaking a tackle or a sack… getting my feet under me, making throws,” Daniels noted.
All the attention isn't on offense, though. Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil were the big acquisitions before the draft. Joe Whitt Jr. gained a skilled veteran in Von Miller last week.
The Super Bowl 50 MVP suited up for the first time, and it was all smiles.
"Nothing in life happens by coincidence, so I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be," Miller told The Washington Post yesterday after signing his contract.
There aren't many players who've achieved what Miller has in his 15-season-long NFL career. He accompanies his two Super Bowl rings with seven All-Pro selections and is tied with Charles Haley for the most career sacks in Super Bowl history with 4.5.
His tenure in Buffalo was marred by trouble, but he still showed juice in 2024 with six sacks. A move like this isn't just for someone to bring down the quarterback. It's a cultural move. A leading force for the Commanders' defense, Bobby Wagner, emphasized this as to why Miller is such a great fit for Washington.
"He's going to be great in our locker room," Wagner said. "How he works every day... what he can give to the other guys both old and young, [will] really help this team out."
The stars continue to shine heading into the second day of camp. While the new faces come with a lot of excitement, the main focus remains on when Washington will see their star receiver return.
