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Commanders' Plan for Life After Terry McLaurin Could Start With an Indiana Star
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- Commanders' Plan for Life After Terry McLaurin Could Start With an Indiana Star
Washington's receiver room has looked different since Terry McLaurin went down. Rookie Antonio Williams has stepped into the void, and the Commanders' snap counts against Philadelphia showed just how much the offense now runs through him. A new 2027 NFL mock draft suggests the long-term answer at the top of the depth chart could come from Bloomington, in the form of Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker.
Going into Week 9, the Commanders are slotted at No. 9, and that pick is going to Becker in Luke Easterling's latest projection. Easterling called McLaurin "one of the NFL's more underrated receivers for his entire career," then laid out the problem. McLaurin turns 32 early next season and will be coming off a season-ending knee injury.
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Why Charlie Becker fits the Commanders
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17)Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Becker brings the size Washington's receiver room lacks. Indiana lists him at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, and he's been one of the most efficient deep threats in the country this fall. His frame shows up most on contested catches along the sideline, where he can box out smaller corners and still run after the catch.
Through eight games, Becker has 42 catches for 726 yards and eight touchdowns, according to cfbstats.com . That works out to 17.3 yards per reception for a Hoosiers offense that keeps finding him in big moments, including the overtime touchdown that beat Minnesota on Oct. 31.
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Easterling sees Becker as a complete receiver who could upgrade the WR2 spot with "some size and physicality" right away, then take over as Jayden Daniels' top target once McLaurin's run winds down. Williams has "shown promise as a rookie," Easterling wrote, but one young receiver isn't enough for an offense built around Daniels' arm and legs.
Washington has already been reworking parts of the roster this fall. The win over the Eagles changed the trade-deadline math , and the defensive line lost two veterans for the year. A receiver in the first round may not be the most pressing need next spring.
Still, the clock on McLaurin is real. Daniels has carried the offense with his legs at times this season, and pairing him with a big, sure-handed target for the next five years is the kind of move that keeps the Commanders' window open long after McLaurin is gone.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
