The toe injury that star wide receiver Terry McLaurin suffered in the Washington Commanders’ 29-28 preseason win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night is indeed turf toe. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, McLaurin will work toward playing in Washington’s regular-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. However, “it’s too early” to say he will. The turf toe injury typically is a multiple-week injury.
Schefter’s report confirms the doubt set on Wednesday by Washington’s head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera tried to sound encouraging when he announced the Commanders would keep McLaurin off his feet for a couple of days and start working him back next week.
However, when asked, Rivera revealed the MRI and X-ray results were “for the most part” encouraging. The “for the most part” foreshadowed McLaurin could miss Week 1 against the Cardinals and possibly more.
The Commanders initially have said McLaurin is day-to-day. But, it’s become evident his injury is week-to-week. Therefore, the question now shifts to how many games will he miss.
Certainly, Rivera is hoping for the best. Not just because he is in a make-or-break season and needs his top wide receiver on the field. But, his decision to play most of his offensive starters for the entire first half may have backfired for the coach.
Terry McLaurin got tackled from behind on the Commanders’ last first-half offensive drive. He got up and immediately hobbled to the sideline. He took off his cleat and threw it in frustration.
If McLaurin can’t play when the season starts, the onus will be on veteran Curtis Samuel and second-year breakout candidate Jahan Dotson at wide receiver. The Commanders also have Dyami Brown, who has yet to lift off with his career. It helps Brown have chemistry with second-year quarterback Sam Howell. The pair were teammates in college at the University of North Carolina.
McLaurin has had three straight seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He has become the star of the Commanders’ offense. Now, with Eric Bieniemy as his offensive coordinator and Howell settled in at quarterback, the expectations for McLaurin were sky-high entering this season.
Now, the focus shifts to getting him healthy and 100 percent at some point, sooner rather than later. Hopefully, the team can minimize the time he is absent from the field.
