Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin spoke to the media after practice. Check out the full transcripts of the press conference.
On how he has viewed his time with different quarterbacks and what he has been able to accomplish:
"Yeah, I think it's a unique situation that, you know, I was faced at this point in my career playing with multitude of different quarterbacks, sometimes multiple in the season. I learned pretty quickly that you can't really put your focus on who's gonna necessarily be back there but you just kind of gotta worry about your process and come prepare each and every day. And I think I've learned something about myself, something about the game of football and just being a good teammate with that revolving door sometimes. And I think for myself, I just try to be a leader out there and make sure they're comfortable, you know what I mean? Because whether they're a starter or have to come in for someone who's gone down, like that's a big role. You got the team on your shoulders and I just want them to know that they have somebody that's gonna do their job that they could depend on and that's kind of always been my focus. So obviously, you know, I feel like the receiver position's a very dependent position and the continuity and the connection with the quarterback and receiver's extremely important. So, you would like to have that longevity so you could build that connection so you're not necessarily starting from day one every time, but you know, I've learned to roll with it and still put my best foot forward."
On the things he can build on with QB Jayden Daniels that he hasn't been able to in the past:
"I just think it's the timing, honestly. He naturally has a good feel of where to position the ball, whether it's an in-breaking route, out-breaking route, a ball down the field. A lot of the things, he just naturally has the ability to have a feel for the game, which is very unique for any quarterback, but let alone a rookie. But obviously as we continue to grow, he gets a feel of how I run my routes, how I get outta my brakes, the timing in which I release and kind of get a feel from my speed down the field. You know what I mean? I think I run the vertical route really well and sometimes connecting on that can be challenging because each quarterback is different in the way they throw the trajectory or where the aiming point may be. But the more reps we get, it's just gonna make us better. The good thing about it is, he's extremely communicative and I am too, so that really helps the relationship grow quicker. I just think the best thing for us to continue to talk about the reps that we have in practice in the film room. We had some work in OTAs where after practice you may see us getting a little bit more work in. So, I think it helps when you have that continuity between two guys and it allows you to grow quicker. But obviously as we continue to go, like it'll be good to continue to hopefully, you know, have that longevity with him because it kind of just allows you to start from a certain, you know, where we progress through the rest of the year and then go into the next season then you start from that point instead of, all right, we gotta figure out how to do this again. So, hopefully I'm looking forward to that."
On how you build on red zone timing with a new quarterback:
"Definitely, I think red zone can be difficult for offenses sometimes because you don't have as much room to operate and the defense has the back-end line as another defender versus when you're kind of out by the opposite 40-yard line or you have more field to work with. So, the spacing and timing is even more paramount when you're in the red zone and that's why you have to be detail oriented in where your splits are as receivers, tight ends, all skill positions and the depths of your route. You don't want to be in someone else's space when you're running your route. You know, him and I connected on a hitch route, which could kind of be tough, you know, down in the red zone because again, they have that back line defender. So, some defensive backs are not even worried about you running that far or they have enough makeup speed to get there. So, my objective in that situation is try to make that DB feel my speed and kind of get a quick release. And I think what he talked about after that was really important, where even if that DB may be playing in your back hip, like ball placement is very key in those situations. I think he did a great job. You wanna try to leave that ball either low and away or high on my outside shoulder so I can, even if it's a bang, bang play, I have a chance to get it versus you leave the ball inside, then it could get a little muddy. So, he just has a natural feel for that and you can see it by the way he operates, but also by his actions as well. You know, it's not always gonna be perfect, but just to have that mindset, I'm expecting that now. So, when I come out my routes, I have a good idea where he is gonna put it."
On if things have been different this season compared to previous seasons:
"Definitely. I've experienced a lot in my going on six years here and I could just at least speak to just this year and I feel like the continuity from the top down is very clear what the objective is, bringing in good people who are really good at their job and are gonna be competitors in what they do and bring their best selves to the building each and every day. I think that started from [Managing Partner Josh Harris] Mr. Harris and the ownership group and I think that goes down to [General Manager Adam Peters] AP and [Head Coach Dan Quinn] DQ and our coordinators and the leaders on this team and our position coaches. So, when you have that one voice, that one mission, I think it makes it very clear what the expectation is. And there's not a lot of deviation from that because if you wanna be a part of this team in this organization, you have to fit that mold or you probably won't be here. But I think the great thing about it is there's no favoritism. There's no, well, because you did this here or because, you know, you had this season last year, like we got guys and coaches from all over the place. But one thing they have is we have a lot of guys who experience leadership, championship pedigree and who are competitors who want to come and make this organization better and win together. I think you can feel that juice and then when you have the opportunity just to come out here and compete, that's what you love to do. You don't have to really focus on a lot of the off-field stuff we may have had, but you get to focus on football and how you get better and try to earn your spot on this team. So, it's been really fun getting to know the guys. Like I said, a few times, like even the first few days in the spring, we really didn't even talk a lot of football. We just got to know each other, which is, it's new, you know what I mean? We've even mixed up the locker room where I'm sitting next to [CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr.] Forbes and some of the linemen and usually you stay with your position group, but I think it helps just that continuity process a little quicker where you have those moments to spend times with guys you may not spend time with otherwise because they're not in your position room. So, I could just tell we have a group of guys that are gelling well and enjoy spending time with one another and also like to grind. We set standards for ourselves as a team where that's what you have to hold up to if you wanna be a part of this team and I think that's great 'cause it holds everybody accountable, then it's on myself and it's on other guys to hold each other accountable and to that standard. As long as that doesn't deviate, then you have a good chance to have success."
On some of the players meeting up in Oregon to workout and what that can do for the team:
"Actually I didn't get the chance to make it out there. I had a family obligation. But you know, I was in communication with [QB] Marcus [Mariota] and everybody who was there and we got a chance to really connect while we were here. And in the offseason, I've been a part of those throwing sessions and yeah, it's definitely a part of the timing and the work, but it's more so about hanging out, get to know each other on a different level and just enjoying your downtime together before we get going for a long season. So, I think the great thing about it when you have situations like that where it's a time to really build with one another, but also get to know each other. And I think the great thing about this year is we really did a lot of that in the spring. Like I got to play a lot of golf with Marcus and [TE] Zach Ertz and you know, inviting guys who have never golfed before. Guys are in there playing ping pong and cornhole and you know, I sometimes I look in the locker room, I'm like, man, like we've been done for an hour and guys are still in there hanging out, you know what I mean? So, I think that continuity really just goes a long way and it helps with the timing as well. Obviously now that we're here we'll get of plenty of reps and have time to talk about it in the film room, but that off season time is definitely important as well."
*On what it's like to fill the role as a leader on this team: *100%. I would like to think I've been blessed with a leadership skill set that sometimes I kind of shied away from when I was a little younger, whether I was in college or even high school, even earlier in my career, I was just always a leader by example, which is I think is great. I think I just wanted to be somebody who was on time, who was accountable, did what I was supposed to do, and you could look at me as an example. Not that I'm perfect, but I just try to do things the right way. I try to be a pro, I try to set a good example for myself and my teammates. And as time has grown and you grow that respect, you have a little success, guys want to hear from you more. And I never wanted to be the type of vocal leader where I was someone who was just like a dictator or tearing guys down or just telling 'em what to do. But I think it's just more so speaking to the accountability aspect where you see guys maybe not necessarily doing what we set out to do or the standards that we set that you kind of check them on that. But I think that the awareness that we all have is not coming from a place of anger or a place of frustration. It's coming a place from a place of accountability. And you, we've all had a pledge with one another, we're not going to take that personally. And so for myself, I just tried to put myself in a situation where I speak up a little bit more. But I don't want to talk so much where it kind of just gets drowned out. I want to be someone where I say something it is meaningful, it's impactful, and I think I've learned that happy middle and I think it helps a lot when you have a lot of other leaders around, because I've learned from [TE] Zach [Ertz], I've learned from [LB] Bobby Wagner, [Head Coach Dan Quinn] sets a great example. And so, you feel like that weight of leadership doesn't fall all on you. But at the same time, I know what I bring to the table as a player and a leader, and I just try to set that standard. So, I really try to hold myself to a standard where, it's not perfection, but on and off the field where I'm leading in a way that guys want to follow you. You know what I mean? And it's not just by your play, it's how you communicate with them. I try to get to know the guys on the team, know about their families and things like that. So that's just that personal relationship goes a long way when it comes to leadership because when you say something, they have more of a respect because they know where you're coming from."
On how important it is for General Manager Adam Peters and Head Coach Dan Quinn to be able to lean on veterans like himself and DT Jonathan Allen:
I think we have just the experience of being in this area, I think we've really helped guys being able to, hey, you need a place to stay, you need a realtor, you need a body work person. Just that aspect of it where you're trying to get guys acclimated just to being in a new place. And I think Jon and I, and [DT Daron] Payne and a lot of other guys who have been here for a while, [P] Tress [Way] and [S Jeremy Reaves], and we've had a lot of experience in this area and honestly, we've had experience of some good and some bad. And I think the good thing about it is that AP and DQ didn't really come in with really focused on what happened last year or the old regime. It was just, how do we move forward? How do we build an identity for this Commander's team? And they really allowed us to take the keys to the car and set standards for ourselves. Like, sure, there's expectations that they expect as a player and as a person, but whether it was through the team building activities that we had or just writing a pledge as a team and letting the leaders run that, like it was literally our words, our sentiments, our accountability. And it's up to us to hold up to that standard. And I think it's great that we have a group of guys with a lot of experience like that. And we know that it's going to pay dividends if we continue to hold ourselves accountable in that way. So, it's been cool to, you know, have a breath of fresh air and it just feels like a new start for everybody."
On the pledge they wrote:
"I probably try to keep most of it within our team, but it was essentially along the lines of just what we're going to commit each and every day when we come out to this football field. Not only what we're going to do on the field, but off the field. How are we gonna prepare our bodies? How are we gonna prepare our minds? How, we're going to hold each other accountable when those things may slip. And I think one of the things that stands out the most is just like I kind of touched on, is you can't take that personally. I think we're all competing for jobs, we're competing for respect, we're competing for some guy's contract. So, everybody has an individual aspect to it, but when you put the team first and you put it in writing it forces you to be accountable, honestly. Because it's like, well I agreed to that. I may have signed that, or I was part of putting those words together. So if I'm not out there upholding, whether it's finishing, whether it's taking care of my body, being accountable, like how can I expect our rookies to? And so I think that puts a good amount of accountability and pressure on our leaders, but also it forces the young guys and the guys who may be here for a year, whatever it is, it's just there's one voice and one sound that the team came up with outside of the expectation of the coaches or the organization, which I think is extremely powerful. I haven't really experienced anything necessarily like that, where the guys have come up with something like that. And it was just really cool to see everybody's ideas and how they view leadership, how they view team building and what's important to having success. And obviously we know that doesn't mean anything if we don't live up to those standards, which that's part of the pledge, but also, the wins and losses are a big part of that as well. I think that's obviously the big picture, the wins and the losses. That's why we're all here to win. There's things underneath winning and losing that contribute to winning and losing, if that makes sense. I feel like there's a very clear set of standards that we've put forward."
On if the quarterbacks having split reps makes it hard to build a rapport:
"I don't really think so. I guess I'm unique in that way, because I played with multiple guys. So, I've been able to adapt. I think it just forces everybody to communicate a little bit more. [QB] Marcus [Mariota] may see something different than [QB] Jayden [Daniels], something different than [QB] Sam [Hartman], something different than [QB] Jeff [Driskel]. I think the main aspect is we come out here knowing what we're doing, executing [offensive coordinator] Kliff's [Kingsbury] offense, executing the depths, executing the timing and the spacing of each concept. And I think long as guys come out here prepared, studying when we're not in the building and taking notes while we're in the film room, just naturally you're going to have a standard of what it's supposed to look like, but then the nuances of offense and football. There's going to be a little difference in what each quarterback does and I think that's where the communication comes in. But, Marcus has been around for a very long time. He's won games, he did great in college, so he just has a natural maturity and feel about football that brings a calm to our offense that I think is extremely needed. And Jayden with his just natural ability, and not only that, his work ethic is very strong and he wants to be great. And not only that, he's very personable and he wants the guys around him to have fun. So you got a good mix of a quarterback room where there's no ego. Guys are competing and they want to put their best foot forward, but they're all trying to make plays and do what's best for the team. It's been really fun working with everybody and I know we're going to continue to build on the things that we've done so far."
