The Commanders are not close to an extension agreement with Terry McLaurin. Tuesday has brought about the latest illustration of that point. 
With McLaurin having already departed voluntary practices this spring, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports he is now absent from mandatory minicamp. That represents a repeat of how things played out in 2022 when the Pro Bowl wideout skipped both OTAs and minicamp before ultimately working out an extension. A third contract has long been known to be a team priority, but plenty of work still needs to be done at the negotiating table.
McLaurin is currently owed a $15.5MM base salary for 2025, the final year of his deal. A raise bringing him closer to the top of the receiver market would increase his upfront earnings while also likely lowering his $25.5MM cap charge. The 29-year-old is electing not to collect a $500K workout bonus by choosing to remain absent from minicamp, something which will create over $104K in fines if he remains absent for all three days.
Throughout his six-year tenure in the nation’s capital, McLaurin has been a focal point on offense. The former third-rounder nearly reached 1,000 yards as a rookie, and he has topped that mark every time since. In 2024 – quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ rookie campaign – he caught 13 touchdown passes after his previous career high was seven. Keeping the Daniels-McLaurin tandem in place for years to come would represent a logical goal for the Commanders.
It has become increasingly clear recently that an agreement is not close in this situation, however. After remaining away from the team during his first round of extension talks, McLaurin wound up signing a three-year deal with an average annual value of $23.2MM. That figure now ranks 16th amongst receivers, and the position’s market has also seen a notable jump in terms of guarantees. A McLaurin raise will no doubt entail a fresh round of locked in compensation, but questions will now linger until at least the start of training camp regarding when it will be finalized.
Washington made a notable receiver addition by trading for Deebo Samuel this offseason. The former 49ers All-Pro reworked his deal upon arrival, but he is still a pending 2026 free agent. The same will hold true of McLaurin until progress is made on the extension front.
Pay the man. Daniels best weapon
Play. Your. Deal.
He’s probably sitting while they’re finishing up an inevitable deal. How often do star players in their prime play out the last year of their deals without extensions?
Just because something is the norm doesnt mean it cant be criticized. Its so annoying watching contract drama every year multiple times a year and it plagues the NFL more than any other sport
Of course it happens in the NFL more than any other sport. The NFL is the sport where contracts have so little money guaranteed, so the contracts are most meaningless. It’s also the career with the shortest and riskiest careers, so players have more impetus to not wait.
I understand the motivations for why they hold out of contracts. Im just saying it can still be criticized
Star player? He is good but he isn’t a star. 2 time peo bowl 1 time second team all pro. Never hit over 1200 yards in 6 years. That is off point though.
He signed the deal, he should play it. Want more money, should’ve signed for more or a shorter term last deal. Want more guarantee, take a shorter deal. Want a fully guaranteed deal push the nflpa to actually do something for once in negotiations.
The guy has five straight 1000 yard seasons after a 900 yard rookie season, so you set the bar at 1200 just to make him miss it. lol. He has the ninth most receiving yards since 2019 even though he’s had one of the very worst quarterback situations. He’s absolutely a star, even if he isn’t ever a top five guy.
And again, half the time in these situations a guy is just sitting out while they iron out a contract they’re definitely going to agree on.
How many guys do you list before you get to his name when we are talking about the best receivers in the last 6 years or receivers you’d rather have?
Off the top of my head I’d say he’s something like 15. That’s a star.
See I guess I just place more value on the definition then. He is really good, but for me a star means that half the #1s in the league aren’t better than you are. You can say each team carries like 6 receivers ans by that metric he is great but teams also carry the same number of DBs but I wouldn’t consider the 15th best DB a star either.
No doubt he is good, not taking anything away from him. I guess I view the stars as your consistent 1st team all pro type guys.
I think there are more than four or five stars at the receiver position in the NFL. You’re basically only talking about what, Chase, Jefferson, AJ Brown, and Lamb? Throw in Tyreek Hill if you don’t think he’s too far on the decline. Those are the inner circle elite guys. I think all the guys you feel good about being number one receivers are stars, and McLaurin is certainly in that group.
The guys you mentioned sans Hill i would say are stars.
Oooof rarely sees a player who he doesn’t want to overpay, or see him hold out of workouts/training camp whatever. The ideas of cap space or contracts are foreign to him.
You’re the one who so doesn’t understand the salary cap that one of the last times you came at me this way you claimed the Eagles and Rams are foolishly run. If the team were so concerned about big contracts that they wouldn’t extend the best, most consistent veteran player on their offense at a position where they don’t have much else, then they probably wouldn’t have traded draft capital for the second and third biggest cap hits on their team. Or given Javon &%#$ing Kinlaw a major contract. They have the greatest money saver in all of sports–a star quarterback on a rookie contract that they’re not even allowed to extend for two years. If you want to know what could mess up their cap situation, it’s three years from now when they pay Daniels and are short some rookie contract players because they’ve dealt so many picks.
Anyway, I certainly don’t always support holdouts (I’m a Jets fan, so I got to see an incredibly stupid one from Reddick last year), but in many cases I pay them very little mind at all, because it seems pretty obvious the Commanders will extend McLaurin and this seems likely to be a case where he just doesn’t risk injury while they work out the deal. It’s the same coach, quarterback, and offense. He’ll be fine. He sat out some workouts in 2022, signed a contract, and had a really good year. I’m guessing that’s exactly what happens again.
Maybe even 13
Atl, I think most would agree he is outside the top 10. I wouldn’t put any other player regardless of position who is comfortably outside the top 10 in “syar” category. Maybe rising star like a guy who is outside the top 10 but could easily move up you know?
Mcclaurin is a top receiver imo tho. With horrible QB stability he’s never posted less than 950 yards which is insane. 1,000 yards every year since his rookie year and he’s caught passes from Heinecke and Carson Wentz too. He needs to be paid.
I love how they got new ownership and still have no clue what they’re doing. The spent over 7 picks on 3 guys that are either already 30 or turning 30 this year in Tyshun Samuel, Lattimore, and Tunsil. Of those 3 guys only one of them is still any good in Tunsil. They wait all these years to find a good young QB and instead of building young good talent around him for years to come, they spend all those picks on old players. And now they don’t want to extend their second best player overall (who also happens to be getting old). What a waste of JD’s rookie deal honestly.
George Allen had 16 players 30 or older on his 1974 roster of 40 players. They went 10-4 that year. Surrounding Daniels with proven veterans is only going to help him master the rookie learning curve quicker.
As a skins fan I am entrusting the new regime to do right. Last year they drafted tons of young guys to add to the funnel. It’s one season and improved the team a lot. Only move I didn’t like was the latimore move as the mid round guys become gems. Getting a great LT that is still young then drafting his replacement in 2 years was great to protect the young QB. Terry will be signed. He did the same last time he got re-upped.
The guy’s been incredibly consistent in his production, especially when you consider some of the offenses he’s played in, and he’s by all accounts a good character. Imagine how much he’d already be getting paid if he’d had a good quarterback before his sixth season.
I’m thinking aiyuik and a pick for scary terry
Aiyuik played together with daniels in college at Arizona st. Daniels freshman season and are really good friends.
Bloated contract coming off major knee surgery no thanks
Terry is easy a top 15 WR. A qbs best friend and not making top 15 money. Now he will be paid such as he should
Good receiver but definitely not worth the money he wants.
Those 13 touchdowns are misleading.
McLaurin’s behaviour is a bit strange. If he plays out one more season, he’s a true free agent and he can write his own cheques. Last time round, I understand. Getting off the rookie deal and putting some guaranteed zeroes in the bank. But at this point, if McLaurin wants his maximum value all he has to do is play out his contract.