Week 1 is finally here with the Washington Commanders hosting the New York Giants in an NFC East matchup, and the team looks healthy and ready to go.
The Commanders have to start the season hot, and a lot of that falls on the franchise quarterback, Jayden Daniels. He has to have someone to throw to, though, and the team just got its biggest weapon in All-Pro WR Terry McLaurin back at practice just last week.
The biggest question has been about how ready McLaurin will actually be come gameday with him missing all of training camp, and just returning to practice with the team. Being in shape and being game-ready are two different things, and the team has been doing everything possible to get McLaurin those valuable reps. HC Dan Quinn gave an update that should eliminate any worries.
The team returned to Ashburn, Virginia, for Week 1 preparation, and Quinn spoke with the media on Wednesday about the team's health, and of course, how the ramp-up period is going with the Commanders' most valuable asset outside of Daniels.
"Yeah, we're doing good," Quinn told Sirius XM NFL. "He's about as close to full speed as we can get, but we like where he's at in terms of, you know, attitude and style and plays that we can feature. So that's why, for him, leading into last week and this week, it was great to have him back out, getting reps and going through that whole process. But it's also been good to see him connecting with everybody. So we're in a good space as it goes."
"He's about as close to full speed as we can get..."
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) September 3, 2025
Dan Quinn on where Terry McLaurin is heading into Week 1.
https://t.co/ROaoooLr1I@Commanders I #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/y0myLMSqsQ
It doesn't sound like there will be a snap count of any kind at all for McLaurin, and the offense will need him out there as much as possible. McLaurin and Daniels were a top-two explosive duo in the NFL last season, and they should pick up where they left off.
No one knows how you feel more than yourself, and McLaurin has been very transparent about the entire process since he returned with the team, but then also showed on the field that he's glad to be back, and his connection with Daniels isn't going anywhere.
This is the first time in McLaurin's career that he's playing with the same quarterback in Week 1 as he did the previous season, and he's back in the same offense, so the return to playing is much easier than it could've been. McLaurin said he feels great, and he will continue to be very honest about how he feels during this week and the game, but he expects to be a full go on Sunday.
"I'm just going to take it snap by snap," McLaurin told the media. "But I feel like I'm in great shape right now. They've been doing a great job just easing me back into practice, but I'm trying to steal reps here and there. You know what I mean, get as many as I can, but at the same time, just listening to the training staff and working me back into things. But I feel great, and I know DQ [Dan Quinn] and Kliff [Kingsbury] and Bobby [Engram] trust me. I'm gonna be communicating throughout this weekend and how I'm feeling on Sunday, but as of right now, I feel really good to go."
Will Terry McLaurin be on a snap count for Sunday's game against the NYG?@john_keim asked Terry after today's practice.
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) September 3, 2025
Terry said, "I'm just going to take it snap by snap. I feel like I'm in great shape right now...as of right now I feel really good to go." pic.twitter.com/TGL3e9RbgN
The Commanders will need all hands on deck on Sunday to get a massive NFC East win to start the season, and it sounds like McLaurin will be a full go and ready to pick up where he left off last season with Daniels. McLaurin will have a very favorable matchup against either Giants corners Paulson Adebo or Deonte Banks, who he tormented last season.
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