Fans demand answers as hyped Commanders rookie shockingly overlooked

Over the later stages of the offseason, one of the most intriguing developments on the Washington Commanders has been seeing which wide receivers can step up in the controversial absence of two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin.

Specifically, golden opportunities have become available for youngsters such as 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey, undrafted free agent Ja'Corey Brooks, and fourth-round rookie Jaylin Lane. The latter is a particularly exciting prospect, with his explosive speed providing a high upside for the local standout from Virginia Tech.

Many eyes were tuned in to see how Lane would fare in his preseason debut against the New England Patriots. It didn't quite go as anticipated.

Jaylin Lane was anonymous in Commanders' preseason opener against the Patriots

Lane had an impressive offseason, showcasing his skills throughout training camp. The wideout put himself in a position to not only handily make Washington's roster, but to potentially compete for a significant role given the uncertain availability of both McLaurin and Noah Brown.

Yet in the Commanders' preseason opener versus the Patriots, he was barely visible. The rookie was held without a catch on only one target, a badly overthrown ball from Sam Hartman. He returned two punts for a total of five yards.

Of course, this could all be for the best possible reason. It could solidify Lane as a player whom Washington didn't view as necessary to have on the field. After all, they rested 30 players who'll make the squad.

Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury didn't seem intent on getting any of their top receiving weapons involved, with offseason trade addition Deebo Samuel Sr. getting the night off, and McCaffrey also playing sparingly due to illness.

Largely, it was Washington's veteran camp bodies who saw most of the early targets — Chris Moore, Michael Gallup, and K.J. Osborn. None of them did much to improve their stock, which should only make Lane's role all the more secure.

In the second half, it was the undrafted free agents such as Brooks, Tay Martin, Jacoby Jones, and Braylon Sanders who took center stage. Josh Johnson was able to get his weapons involved better than Hartman did before the intermission. Still, no one stood out as a threat to Lane's spot on the depth chart.

It would have been nice to see Lane make a grab or two, but on the bright side, he'll have plenty more opportunities. Fans will just have to wait until next week to see what the rookie is made of.

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