It took Terry McLaurin one week to resume alpha status after Commanders deal

Terry McLaurin picked up where he left off after getting a lucrative contract extension at long last from the Washington Commanders. And it didn't take long for the prolific wide receiver to re-establish himself as the team's undisputed alpha.

It was a long process before general manager Adam Peters and McLaurin's representatives came to a compromise. The most important thing was that something got done in the end, and everyone can now fully focus on the immediate task at hand.

McLaurin will be striving with everything he has to help the Commanders build on a phenomenal 2024 campaign. He's playing catch-up after not practicing for months, but the wideout was professional enough to stay in shape until his deal got rubber-stamped. And the chemistry with quarterback Jayden Daniels is already fully established.

Terry McLaurin is helping young Commanders wide receiver to reach their potential

That's not all. The former third-round pick out of Ohio State is also eager to help younger players reach their potential. McLaurin is a two-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro. Instead of placing too much on himself, he wants to assist the development of players like Jaylin Lane, who are also aiming to carve out important roles for themselves.

As an outside receiver, winning physically is important because you're going to get a lot more press and so his ability just to continue to be hungry and be a sponge and ask all the questions, I'm going to continue to try to help him [Jaylin] as much as I can along with Luke [McCaffrey], Ja'Corey [Brooks], Jacoby [Jones]. Chris Moore is a great guy in our room. Just all the guys we have in our room are amazing.Terry McLaurin via Commanders.com

With everything else McLaurin's got to worry about right now, being so selfless is a testament to his team-first approach. The wideout cannot do it alone. If he can provide the guidance that inspires those further down the depth chart or the practice squad to better fortunes on the field, that's a win-win for everybody associated with the Commanders.

McLaurin thinks a lot of the pass-catchers at Washington's disposal. He's the top dog — the person everyone in the receiving corps looks to for inspiration. He demands high standards from himself and his teammates. And if some need a helping hand along the way, he'll be only too happy to oblige.

Nurturing the next generation is a responsibility McLaurin's taken seriously. After how the veteran has conducted himself since joining the Commanders, fans shouldn't have expected anything less.

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