Terry McLaurin wowed by 10 QB changes in his first 32 NFL games originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
A widely circulated stat made prevalent the moment Taylor Heinicke made his second start in Burgundy and Gold colors came as quite a surprise for wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
In McLaurin's first 32 NFL career games, there have been 10 changes at the quarterback position.
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"Oh damn. I didn't even know that was the number, that's crazy," McLaurin said on the Grant and Danny Show on 106.7 The Fan. "I mean, shoot, you gotta do what you gotta do at the end of the day. I think that's something I've always said."
From Dwayne Haskins to Alex Smith to Kyle Allen to Taylor Heinicke, to even Colt McCoy and Case Keenum, QB stability isn't something McLaurin has been allowed to get accustomed to at the NFL. Since Washington selected him with the 76th pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, it's been a turnstile at the position.
The most impressive part of that damning statistic is McLaurin's ability to produce no matter who's throwing him the ball. The former Buckeye has caught a whopping 160 passes for 12 touchdowns and 2,206 yards as the focal point of the NFC East champions' offense.
"I've been fortunate to play with multiple quarterbacks and I've learned something from all of them, so that's unique. I've always believed my job is to make their job as easy as possible and trust that I'm going to do my job and make plays when they need it most," McLaurin said, who was appointed as a team captain midseason last campaign and again this year as a result of his no-excuse leadership.
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"I don't really make any excuses, I don't really try to say it's this or that, but I just try to go out there and control what I can control and do my job," he said. "If I can do that and get on the same page as whoever's back there, then we have a chance. It's a unique opportunity, but I know what comes with it."
McLaurin has done an excellent job of making himself available no matter who's getting him the ball, but Washington went away from him against the Chargers. He was only targeted four times, something offensive coordinator Scott Turner made sure to rectify on Thursday night in Washington's thrilling win over the Giants.
Washington's No. 17 was targeted 14 times, 11 of which turned into catches for 107 yards and a TD.
"There's really not too much discussion because I'm not really in the game-planning meetings," McLaurin said. "Me and Coach Turner have some conversations over the course of the week and we talk about what we like and obviously he calls the plays."
As for this year's two quarterbacks responsible for making sure McLaurin is getting his touches, McLaurin praised both Heinicke and Ryan Fitzpatrick for their poise and calm demeanors. While he didn't get a chance to catch a pass from Fitzpatrick or experience his playmaking acumen, he did divulge into what makes Heinicke so well-liked in the locker room.
"I think the No. 1 thing is his mentality. It's almost something you can't necessarily describe, but when you're a football player, you're like, 'Yeah, he has it.' You just see the way he carries himself in the building, he's a great pro, he takes care of his body and he's always prepared for his moment. And you can respect that...and you want to fight for a guy like that."
