Commanders Rumors: Terry McLaurin 'Progressing' in Toe Injury Rehab Ahead of Week 1

The Washington Commanders might have their No. 1 wide receiver available for Sunday's season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post reported Terry McLaurin is "progressing in his recovery" from the turf toe he suffered during a preseason win over the Baltimore Ravens "and is considered day to day" with the "hope he can play" against the Cardinals.

Having McLaurin on the field would be a significant lift for the Commanders.

After all, there is some optimism for the aerial attack with Sam Howell moving into the starting quarterback role and players such as Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel available as secondary options.

Yet McLaurin is the key to it all.

Just his presence figures to open up lanes for Dotson and Samuel because of the attention he attracts from opposing secondaries. If he is unavailable, that additional attention goes toward Dotson, and the No. 2 option won't have as favorable of matchups when it comes to cornerbacks lined up across from him.

McLaurin is coming off a Pro Bowl season that saw him finish with 77 catches for 1,191 yards and five touchdowns.

It was his third consecutive campaign with more than 1,000 receiving yards and second straight year he played in every game. His consistency since Washington selected him with a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft is notable, and he figures to be one of the leaders of the team in 2023.

The game against the Cardinals is also an excellent opportunity for the Commanders to start 1-0 as they look to compete for a playoff spot in the NFC East.

Arizona will be without quarterback Kyler Murray and is starting the season with a new head coach in Jonathan Gannon. There are far more difficult opponents later in the schedule for Washington, so getting a win would be important.

And that will be much easier if McLaurin is on the field.