Instead of letting contract negotiations with Terry McLaurin drag on, the Washington Commanders should pay the star wide receiver.
McLaurin — who is entering the final year of his contract — left voluntary workouts last week amid reported frustrations about contract talks with the team. On a Sunday episode of “SportsCenter,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported it’s unclear whether he’ll report to minicamp, which starts on Tuesday.
“Certainly, Washington wants to keep him in the fold long term,” Fowler said (h/t Bleacher Report’s Andrew Peters). “They’ve had some talks, but not enough yet to progress to get any sort of deal.”
Washington should expedite those talks with the WR, who has made two Pro Bowls in six seasons with the club. It likely can’t win a Super Bowl without him.
During the 2024 season, McLaurin finished 15th in the league in receiving yards (1,096) and second in touchdown catches (13) in 17 regular-season games. No other Commander was as productive. Washington TE Zach Ertz was second on the team in receiving yards, with 654 in 17 regular-season games.
In March, the Commanders acquired WR Deebo Samuel in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. However, his numbers have declined since earning a first-team All-Pro nod in 2021. During this span, he hasn’t surpassed 892 receiving yards in a season.
McLaurin, meanwhile, has been much more consistent. Over the past three seasons, the 29-year-old wideout has finished with 1,000 receiving yards or more each year.
The Commanders could be concerned about cap space. Spotrac estimates they have $21.41M in cap room, and McLaurin’s market value is a three-year deal worth $31.1M annually.
Still, the chemistry between second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels and McLaurin is one key reason Washington made its first NFC Championship game since the 1991 season last season.
Washington doesn’t want anything to disrupt that, so it should make room for an extension for McLaurin.
