The Patriots’ long-running search for a proven wideout to pair with second-year quarterback Drake Maye culminated in a three-year, $69MM deal for Stefon Diggs in March. Despite having Diggs in the fold, New England would be in the market for another accomplished pass catcher if he becomes available.
That pass catcher is Commanders WR Terry McLaurin, who is entering the final year of his current contract and who is seeking an extension from Washington. The Ohio State product has expressed frustration with the lack of progress in that regard, and he recently indicated no talks have taken place in the last month.
In a recent appearance on Arbella Early Edition (video link), Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer confirms there have not been many recent discussions between the Commanders and McLaurin’s camp. He does expect the team to “take a swing” at resolving the matter in short order, but if McLaurin were to become available via trade, Breer says the Patriots would be interested.
McLaurin, who is entering his age-30 season, has been a model of consistency for Washington since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2019. Following a 14-game rookie slate in which he recorded 919 yards and seven scores, he has exceeded the 1,000-yard threshold in each of the last five seasons and has enjoyed perfect attendance in each of the last four. He also upped his touchdown production in 2024, finding paydirt a career-high 13 times with Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels under center.
Washington’s Daniels-led outfit is coming off an NFC Championship Game appearance, and given McLaurin’s importance to the team, a trade would qualify as a major surprise. It is nonetheless notable that New England would consider adding the two-time Pro Bowler, which would require trading draft capital and authorizing a lucrative new deal.
With over $60MM in cap space and a rookie-contract QB1, the Pats could certainly afford such a move from a financial perspective. And, while Diggs and the team have seemingly moved beyond an offseason incident that momentarily triggered release rumors, he will turn 32 in November and is still working his way back from a torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2024 campaign (though he did avoid placement on the PUP list to start training camp).
Another new addition to the WR room, Mack Hollins, did land on the active/PUP list, and outside of promising slot target DeMario Douglas, the rest of the depth chart is comprised of unproven and/or uninspiring options. Between that reality and McLaurin’s blend of strong performance and strong character – an important trait for head coach Mike Vrabel – it is easy to see the appeal in a possible trade.
Still, it is a big jump from stalled extension talks to the trade of a franchise cornerstone. It remains to be seen if the Commanders will seriously entertain that notion.
Commanders need to get this deal done. Daniels year two with Deebo and Terry and improved blocking and run game are Super Bowl contenders
Lol umm they’ll be a little better but superbowl contenders is a super big stretch hahaha. They might not even make the playoffs even if they improve. They got super lucky a number of times last year and got absolutely smoked in the NFCCG. They’re like the 6th best team in the NFC maybe
That’s cope
They did get lucky a number of times last year but they’re also incredibly talented and have only gotten more talented since last season.
Year one was an exciting show many times with McLaurin a true catalyst. I imagine Deebo will make them even more exciting barring a sophomore slump from Daniels. Not sure they’re Super Bowl contenders though, but who knows?
The subject of this article is somewhat humorous.
I mean, you could write a similar article about almost any other team in the league, no?
Who said you couldn’t?
Uh…everyone looks like a Super Bowl contender if you’re a Falcons fan and it’s been 7 years since Atlanta last beat Washington 🙂
What’s your point
This would certainly make sense of New England but l think Washington trading McLaurin at this stage of the offseason makes about as much sense as Pittsburgh trading Watt would have.
it’s not quite the same. there are a number of wr still available via FA they could sign as replacement. maybe not to the same level but a Keenan Allen or Gabe Davis would be decent. they could also ask the pats for diggs as a swap.
maybe Kendrick Bourne and a 2nd get it done?
not saying any of these make the Commanders better, just they have more options than the Steelers would have had with trading watt.
If we’re talking replacements, I think Clowney is better right now than any of the remaining receivers are right now. Allen is slot only and on his last legs. Cooper looked done. Davis is just a guy. Like Watt, McLaurin is the best non-QB on the team, a franchise pillar, and an integral part of a team that wants to make the playoffs. And Pittsburgh’s other edge talent is better than Washington’s other receiving talent.
Fair points, Oof. I do think that MoneyBall is right in that the options are more numerous, but the question of quality and relative importance comes into play. Frankly, McLaurin and Watt occupy similar positions in terms of team makeup on their respective squads.
The difference that I would lean towards here, in terms of relative importance, is how much time I think that each team has. Daniels looks entrenched as a franchise starter right now, and Washington could use the McLaurin return (presumably including Boutte, if I had to guess, given his LSU history) to pick a new receiver. They’d be taking a step back right now, but if they’re just not committed to paying the contract that McLaurin wants, then they do have some time left with Daniels already breaking in to the league and presumably being there for at least another three years.
Basically, I think that they can afford to have a long term plan with Daniels installed as a starter, if they did decide to not pay a max level receiver contract. The Steelers want to contend, but given that they don’t have their long term starter yet, they’re much more committed to this year and next. They’ve made too many moves to not try and compete this year. Of the two, Washington can more afford to be patient and develop around their QB than Pittsburgh can. They could really be good this year, but we’d have to see more to guarantee it. I still think they need more, personally, but they made a few moves themselves, in fairness to them (we’ll see what Samuel has left as a number two-probably still some good play, but Shanahan really wore him down). That’s if I had to pick-in essence, I believe that these situations are quite similar.
That all makes sense, but there’s also developmental risk in taking Daniels’ best receiver away from him (and his only reliable one if you’re worried about Deebo’s health. We’ve seen so many quarterbacks break out when they got a legit number one receiver—Allen and Hurts come to mind—that it’s hard to fathom subtracting one from a young QB who hit the ground running when there’s no clear path to replacing even 80% of him.
Yeah, no arguments there. That’s why I said that I think Washington would be taking a step back right now, but Daniels gives them some to recover. One could make the argument that Watt could fetch a higher pick, of course. I just think that the Steelers’ roster is built to compete this year, and the Commanders are built better to compete long term. Pittsburgh would like to be a long term team, but they won’t be until they have their QB-which presumably will be next year, or at maximum, the next.
Your worship of Watt is admirable but you’re mixing apples and oranges with this analogy.
Watt is a great player, a future Hall of Famer, but in an offense-oriented league, the signing was frivolous. It’s like deciding to spend new car Ferrari prices on a 2018 model. Why?
As a fan, I want to believe the Steelers are all in this year with this and other signings and trades. But common sense tells me not to put my money where my hopes are, when there are so many better teams in the AFC. Almost everything has to go right for this team to be a contender, from the O-line maturation, to Rodgers playing like he did 5 years ago, to somehow a receiver option that takes the heat off of DK, to a D-line that can remember how to stop running games, to a secondary that isn’t quite as porous as we’ve seen
In other words, we are going to see if the Steelers are closer to being middle of the pack, as I suspect, or a team that’s locked and loaded for at least this season, as I hope
If it’s the former, spending the kind of money they did on Watt when they need to address so many holes will seem questionable, at best. Trading him to load up would have made much more sense. Time will tell
In contrast, Washington is a team on the rise. A top young QB in place. A receiver like McLaurin who is a huge cog for them every time they have the ball. A reliable player who has a great deal to do with their wins.
Of course they would be interested. What team wouldn’t be that doesn’t already have a legit #1 and #2 (or in the case of the Bengals and Eagles and a few others a #1 and #1a)?
McLaurin has been the picture of consistency throughout his career despite some terrible QB play post Cousins. He would instantly turn a number of teams into playoff contenders.
DC needs to trade him. They over spent draft capital on Deebo & the LT.