Terry McLaurin injury: Commanders WR out vs. Cowboys as quad issue sidelines star for fourth game

Despite the optimism earlier in the week that Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin could return for the Week 7 divisional clash with the Dallas Cowboys, the star pass-catcher will remain on the sidelines for the fourth consecutive game. Commanders coach Dan Quinn ruled out McLaurin on Friday, citing his inability to go full speed in practice as he continues to battle a quad injury.

McLaurin returned to practice for the first time since Week 3 on Wednesday as a limited participant. He did not practice on Thursday, however, as his potential for a return to the lineup dwindled.

"It's frustrating for him, because he's working at it hard," Quinn said after Friday's practice. "With an injury like this, this is a speed player, and so on movements where you're jogging or not fully there, it's just not ready yet. That sometimes happens when you have a soft-tissue injury and you're wanting it to get there but you have to push it at the top speeds. Sometimes that's in acceleration. Sometimes it's decel, how hard you have to plant and turn."

McLaurin injured his quad in Week 3 on an explosive 56-yard reception. He lunged toward the end zone in an attempt to score on the Las Vegas Raiders but came up just shy of the goal line and did not return to the game after being marked down at the 1-yard line.

"He's working at it hard," said Quinn. "He's frustrated. But we're closer. As you've been going week to week, it can be difficult on an injury that you have to test and push at high speed. You need volume at it. You need reps at it. It's good to see him running routes and doing that, but once we got to that space, we're just not all the way there yet."

With two days until the matchup against the Cowboys, Quinn said McLaurin is the only player he is ready to rule out. There is some uncertainty surrounding fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who played Monday night but did not practice on Thursday as he continues to battle a heel issue. Injuries have hit the Commanders' receiving corps hard, and Noah Brown remains out after he landed on injured reserve with a knee ailment.

The Commanders cannot get McLaurin back on the field soon enough. The perennial 1,000-yard receiver logged just 10 catches over his first three games of the season but is a critical piece of Washington's typically high-octane offense. He excelled in his first year catching passes from Jayden Daniels when he hauled in a career-high 13 touchdown grabs last season.