Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin Unlikely To Practice Without New Deal

Failing to develop a reliable Terry McLaurin sidekick for the first six years of the standout wide receiver’s career, the Commanders took on Deebo Samuel‘s salary in their most notable attempt to resolve the issue. As Samuel readies for training camp, Washington appears unlikely — based on how things are going, at least — to have McLaurin on the practice field to open its set of preseason workouts.

After a report last week indicated McLaurin is unhappy with the tone of extension talks, the Pro Bowl receiver confirmed as such Tuesday. McLaurin added (via ESPN.com’s John Keim) “without any progress in discussions it’s kind of hard to see how I step on the field.”

McLaurin mentioned that talks between he and the Commanders have not transpired over the past month. While the perennial 1,000-yard target is not pushing for a trade, he appears ready to force the issue in some way fairly soon.

I want to be here. I want to make that abundantly clear,” McLaurin said. “… I guess you can say there is a point of no return. I don’t think it’s at that now but … time is kind of ticking.

When you have that type of production, when you know how people value you and see you have told you to your face and then you see how it’s progressing until this point, that’s very disappointing. I’m just trying to get some clarity. Shoot it to me straight.”

Skipping OTAs, McLaurin received a $104K fine for failing to report to Commanders minicamp last month. Were he to miss training camp workouts, he would face $50K-per-day penalties. This has generally deterred players from holding out, as teams can no longer — as of the 2020 CBA — waive the fines for players on veteran contracts. That said, a holdout uptick has occurred over the past two years. Chris Jones, Zack Martin and Nick Bosa stayed away from training camp in 2023; Trent Williams and Haason Reddick followed suit last year. The hold-in measure has brought a sweet spot for disgruntled players, and McLaurin certainly seems set to exercise that option while he angles for a new contract.

McLaurin’s dissatisfaction with the Commanders’ negotiations has come up a few times this offseason. He was surprised by the difficulties this process has brought, but two weeks later, no progress had been made. McLaurin is tied to the three-year, $69.6MM deal agreed to during the 2022 offseason. That year brought a sea change in the WR market, and McLaurin joined 2019 draft classmates A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Diontae Johnson and Samuel in cashing in. However, Brown and Metcalf have since inked third contracts. McLaurin has been more consistent than Samuel and Metcalf on their respective second contracts as well, not missing a game and earning two Pro Bowl nods on the deal. McLaurin’s $23.2MM AAV has fallen to 16th among receivers.

McLaurin has amassed a string of 1,000-yard seasons but without a 1,200-yard year, though his QB draw was rather poor before Jayden Daniels‘ arrival. He then posted a second-team All-Pro showing in Daniels’ rookie year. The former third-round find also is heading into an age-30 season, and our Ely Allen highlighted the issue — upon seeing what an extension might look like — that brings for the Commanders. Though, McLaurin’s durability stands to mitigate some concerns about him aging out of WR1 territory in the near future. Term length and guarantee structure likely represent issues here.

I’m not dismissing [age] completely,” McLaurin said. “There are data points to support that, but how come it’s not OK to say this may be a different case and based on what he’s proven, showing no signs of deterioration, I feel that should be acknowledged as well.”

The Commanders also could frame part of a third McLaurin contract around Daniels’ rookie deal. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year cannot sign an extension until 2027, giving the Commanders some time to pair that team-friendly agreement with another McLaurin pact. GM Adam Peters has not completed many extensions yet in Washington, but he did pay guard Sam Cosmi just before last season. The 49ers also developed a pattern — one that often produced unnecessary drama — of completing big-ticket extensions well into training camp during Peters’ time with the team.

If no deal is reached by Week 1, McLaurin will be attached to a $15.5MM base salary. Plenty of time, however, remains between now and Washington’s season opener. As the team has established rare modern-era momentum, it will naturally want to keep its top skill-position player happy before a Super Bowl push commences.

Extension Candidate: Terry McLaurin

There’s been no shortage of noise coming out of the District of Columbia — technically 25 miles or so west of DC — concerning the extension negotiations for veteran wide receiver Terry McLaurin. It should be a no-brainer: a second-team All-Pro heading into a contract year with a $25.5MM cap hit while he’s catching balls from a quarterback on a rookie deal? Up to this point in the offseason, though, the two parties have been unable to make progress towards a new deal.

It started early in the offseason, with the team acknowledging that an extension for McLaurin was something it was interested in. McLaurin showed the team how serious he was about receiving new terms when he held out of Organized Team Activities and mandatory minicamp, racking up over $104K in fines. Reportedly, the Commanders were taken aback at the difficulties they were having reaching agreeable terms with their star receiver, and as it became clear that the two sides were very far apart on an agreement, McLaurin voiced his frustrations with the procedures.

But why has this been such a struggle? Does the team not want to lower McLaurin’s cap hit and make sure he’s around for all of the years Jayden Daniels plays on a rookie deal? It seems multiple factors are proving challenging when negotiations are taking place as performance and status say one thing, while age and potential for decline say another.

To start, McLaurin just completed his best season to date. While he didn’t put up a career high in receiving yards (1,096), his 13 touchdowns catches were more than half of his five-year career touchdown-total coming into the season (25). He also did it all in the fewest targets since his rookie year, showing improved efficiency with his new quarterback.

That’s the other thing to consider when looking at McLaurin’s career production. After falling 81 yards short of 1,000 receiving yards in his 14-game rookie campaign, McLaurin has been a 1,000-yard receiver in every season since. While that’s impressive on its own, consider that he put up consistent production while catching passes off the arms of players like Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins, Alex Smith, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz, and Sam Howell. He’s a modern-day Andre Johnson in that regard. Now that you’ve paired him with a talented, young passer, he puts up an All-Pro season.

So, what does his production say he should be making on a new deal? First, let’s set the floor. Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins set the new mark for WR2s this year, surpassing Jaylen Waddle as the league’s highest-paid WR2 with an average annual value of $28.75MM. As a high-performing WR1, McLaurin should at least be making more than the highest-paid WR2. After that, the comparisons become difficult to make. The top-earning receivers market has drastically jumped in recent years with Ja’Marr Chase (AAV of $40.25MM), Justin Jefferson ($35MM), and CeeDee Lamb ($34MM) leading the pack.

Age becomes a factor, as well, though. Coming in as a 24-year-old rookie, McLaurin is set to turn 30 this season. Tyreek Hill was 30 years old when he signed his most recent contract ($30MM) that gave him a $54MM signing bonus. Older receivers like 29-year-old Calvin Ridley ($23MM), 32-year-old Davante Adams ($22MM), 29-year-old Chris Godwin ($22MM), 31-year-old Stefon Diggs ($21.17MM), and 30-year-old Mike Evans ($20.5MM) hurt McLaurin’s case. D.K. Metcalf ($33MM), though two years younger that McLaurin, may have helped McLaurin’s case a bit with his recent four-year, $132MM extension in Pittsburgh.

The last point of comparison may come from his status as an All-Pro. Chase and Jefferson were both first-teamers, along with Amon-Ra St. Brown ($32MM), while joining McLaurin as second-team All-Pros were Lamb and A.J. Brown ($32MM). With the lowest AAV of those five coming in at $32MM, one would expect that to be a target for McLaurin, as well. To McLaurin’s credit, he doesn’t seem intent upon resetting the market at the position. Reasonably, he is just looking to enter the echelon of pass catchers making $30MM or more.

Ultimately, there’s so many directions in which this deal can go. We’ve focused mainly on AAV, but term length, guarantees, and fee structure can all play huge roles in negotiating that AAV up or down. McLaurin could settle for a two-year commitment in order to try and get up to $33MM or $34MM. The Commanders could try to backload base salary, while supplementing the low-salaried early years with a substantial signing bonus. There’s no shortage of predictions for how this contract may end up looking, and that’s one of the reasons why there’s been so little progress and so much frustration.

Despite the frustrations, the two sides have been in constant communication and are expected to come to terms at some point. The oft-injured Deebo Samuel can be strong while on the field, but behind him and McLaurin, the receiving corps depth is either old or unproven. Look to McLaurin’s participation in training camp, and depending on what we see, we may look for an extension in the days leading up to the regular season.

Terry McLaurin ‘Not Happy’ With Commanders Extension Talks

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is “not happy with where things are with an extension,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Bleacher Report’s Joseph Zucker).

McLaurin and the Commanders have been working on a new contract throughout the offseason, and this is not the first report of his dissatisfaction with negotiations. He skipped OTAs and mandatory minicamp over frustration with extension talks as he enters the final season of a three-year deal signed in July 2022.

Since signing his first extension, McLaurin has continued to produce as one of the league’s top pass-catchers. 2024 was his fourth fully-healthy season in a row and his fifth with at least 1,000 receiving yards; he also posted career-highs in catch rate (70.1%), success rate (58.1%) and touchdowns (13), the last of wich trailed only Ja’Marr Chase. For his efforts, McLaurin earned the second Pro Bowl nod of his six-year career and his first selection as an All-Pro (second-team).

With an ascending offense led by a quarterback on a rookie contract, the Commanders would appear to be in a position to reward one of their best and longest-tenured players. Extending McLaurin would also lower his 2025 cap hit, which currently ranks 20th among all players. However, the sides had made little progress as of late June, and that still seems to be the case, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“There’s no update…and that’s the problem,” said Schefter on the Pat McAfee Show, noting that comparable receivers like D.K. Metcalf signed for over $30MM per year this offseason. However, as Schefter added, perennial 1,000-yard wideout Mike Evans signed for just $24MM last offseason.

“There really is quite a difference and a gap between what both sides would want,” continued Schefter. “They have not made any progress.” 

Teams may inquire about trading for McLaurin, per Schefter, but he “cannot envision the Commanders moving on.” He characterized the stalemate in Washington as similar to T.J. Watt‘s situation in Pittsburgh: both sides want to get a deal done with the expectation of reaching an agreement before the season, but as of now, they are “not close.”

McLaurin is due to report to training camp on July 27, so the parties have a few weeks to hammer out a deal to stave off a potential hold-in this summer.

Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Offense

Last offseason brought about a record-breaking jump in the salary cap. This year, the ceiling rose to $279.2MM, another notable spike. The market at a number of positions will benefit from the ongoing surge in spending power available to teams, with quarterbacks obviously the largest standout in that respect.

In 2024, a pair of signal-callers surpassed the $50MM mark in terms of cap charges for the season. That will not be the case this time around, but to little surprise quarterbacks once again lead the way in terms of representing the largest share of many teams’ financial commitments for 2025. Positions such as receiver and offensive tackle have also generally not reached the same peak in terms of cap commitments as last year.

Leading up to training camp, are the NFL’s top 25 cap charges for offensive players:

  1. Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $50.52MM
  2. Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $47.47MM
  3. Joe Burrow, QB (Bengals): $46MM
  4. Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $43.5MM
  5. Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $43.33MM
  6. Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $40MM
  7. Geno Smith, QB (Raiders): $40MM
  8. Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Dolphins): $39.18MM
  9. Justin Herbert, QB (Chargers): $37.35MM
  10. Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $36.34MM
  11. Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $35.97MM
  12. Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $32.6MM
  13. Taylor Moton, RT (Panthers): $31.35MM
  14. Jordan Love, QB (Packers): $29.69MM
  15. Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $28.06MM
  16. Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans): $28MM
  17. Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $27.7MM
  18. Jawaan Taylor, RT (Chiefs): $27.39MM
  19. Baker Mayfield, QB (Buccaneers): $26.48MM
  20. Terry McLaurin, WR (Commanders): $25.5MM
  21. Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $25.36MM
  22. D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $24.9MM
  23. Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals): $24.06MM
  24. Ja’Marr Chase, WR (Bengals): $23.57MM
  25. Trey Smith, RG (Chiefs): $23.4MM

Prescott’s last-minute 2024 Cowboys extension made him the first player in NFL history to carry an AAV of $60MM. That pact will have lasting impacts well beyond the coming campaign, as the team looks to also fit in the big-ticket extension CeeDee Lamb inked last summer and the one Micah Parsons is in position to sign at some point before Week 1.

Once again, Stafford and the Rams entered the spring with plenty of uncertainty. Retirement was a consideration quickly done away with in the case of the 37-year-old, but it remained to be seen if he would remain in Los Angeles. Trade offers came in from numerous suitors, and the chance existed for Stafford to land a more lucrative deal elsewhere. In the end, though, team and player reached agreement on another reworked pact. Stafford is now in line to receive $84MM over the next two years, including guaranteed money in 2026. A bit of continuity will thus be in place under center for the Rams.

2020 draft classmates Burrow, Tagovailoa and Herbert are understandable top-10 players on this list given their respective deals. All three are on the books for years to come as they look to unseat the Chiefs atop the AFC. Burrow spoke about restructuring his pact to create the cap space necessary for the Bengals to retain or extend each of their key in-house players this offseason. That has yet to take place, and it will be interesting to see if a reworking is explored while talks on the Trey Hendrickson front continue.

The Ravens have worked out a few extensions on offense already (Derrick Henry, Rashod Bateman) but Jackson looms as a candidate for a new deal. Three years remain on his pact, but starting in 2026 his cap charge is scheduled so spike well past its current figure. The two-time MVP has discussed a new arrangement this offseason, and a bump in guarantees and overall compensation similar to what the Bills did with Allen would come as no surprise.

Cousins’ figure stands out, of course, given the fact he is slated to operate as Atlanta’s backup this season. With no release coming and no trade imminent, the four-time Pro Bowler is set to stay in place behind Michael Penix JrCousins has made progress in his rehab from shoulder and ankle injuries suffered prior to his benching midway through his debut Atlanta season. With $10MM already guaranteed for next year, it will be interesting to see if a trade market develops in the coming months in his case.

With the exception of Watson – whose second Achilles tear is set to sideline him for most or all of the coming campaign – the remaining quarterbacks on the list are positioned to serve as starters for their respective teams. Only Geno Smith will be suiting up for a new organization after he was traded from the Seahawks to the Raiders. That swap was followed up by a two-year, $75MM extension and allowed him to reunite with head coach Pete Carroll. A short-term upgrade under center will be key as Vegas looks to find stability on the sidelines and in the front office.

Moton’s cap figure was a talking point earlier this offseason, but the Panthers are content to avoid a fourth restructure in his case. The pending free agent hopes to finish his career in Carolina, but an extension would have helped ensure that while lowering his immediate cap charge. In the absence of such an agreement, it will be interesting to see if Moton, 30, can deliver another strong showing in 2025.

Ridley is perhaps a surprising figure to lead the way in terms of cap charges at the receiver spot. He will operate as a key member of the Titans’ offense, a unit whose success will of course depend in large part on the play of rookie Cam Ward. Ridley has two more years left on his deal beyond 2025, but with limited guarantees owed over that span his Tennessee future could be greatly impacted by who this season plays out.

The likes of Hill, Evans and Moore are not currently the subject of speculation regarding their future. McLaurin, however, was absent from much of the Commanders’ spring practices with little progress being made at the negotiating table. Plenty of work is still required at this point to avoid a potential free agent departure next spring. Coming off a career-high in touchdowns while thriving alongside Jayden Daniels, the two-time Pro Bowler is in line for a raise which will likely lower his cap hit this season.

Chase and Higgins inked their deals simultaneously, putting an end to questions regarding where the latter in particular would play on his second contract. Those two, together with Burrow, will serve as foundational players for years to come in Cincinnati. It will be interesting to see how long Chase (with an AAV of $40.25MM) remains the league’s top earner in that respect for non-quarterbacks.

Kansas City’s offensive line faces questions entering the season. Despite his big-ticket contract, Taylor is not a lock to remain a starter at this point. With no guaranteed left on the final year of his deal (2026), a parting of ways could be in store next spring if a backup gig ensues. Trey Smith, meanwhile, remains attached to the franchise tag although an extension is among the team’s remaining offseason priorities.

Commanders, WR Terry McLaurin Not Close To Extension Agreement

Like every year, 2025 has seen a number of notable veteran contract situations linger into the period between offseason programs concluding and training camps beginning. Terry McLaurin is among the players who skipped minicamp as a sign of dissatisfaction with the status of negotiations.

An extension has long been known as a goal for team and player in this case. Given McLaurin’s importance to the Commanders’ offense during his six years with the franchise, many observers presumed talks on a third contract would be relatively smooth. It has become increasingly clear, however, that player and team are not close to an agreement. The Commanders themselves have been surprised by the extent to which progress has not yet been made regarding a McLaurin extension.

On that point, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms there is still plenty of work to be done between Washington and the two-time Pro Bowler. Plenty of time remains before training camp opens, and Breer predicts efforts will pick up again in July. Still, the possibility of a McLaurin holdout (or hold-in, depending on the approach he takes) is no doubt unwanted on the part of general manager Adam Peters as Washington looks to build off last year’s success.

McLaurin has reeled off five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons while serving as the Commanders’ clear-cut No. 1 receiver. His touchdown total jumped to 13 in 2024 as quarterback Jayden Daniels enjoyed a stellar rookie season. Washington has since acquired Deebo Samuel via trade, but even with the former 49ers All-Pro in the fold another strong season from McLaurin will be needed if the team is to repeat last year’s run to the NFC title game.

Samuel is a pending free agent, and the same is currently true of McLaurin. At the age of 30, making a long-term investment in the latter could bring about challenges for Washington, but a raise compared to his $15.5MM non-guaranteed salary (especially taking the receiver market into account) would be a feasible move. A new deal would no doubt lower McLaurin’s cap charge, which is currently set to check in at $25.5MM.

Ja’Marr Chase moved to the top of the pecking order for average annual compensation amongst wideouts ($40.25MM) when he signed his Bengals extension this offseason. McLaurin is not in position to challenge that figure, but seven other receivers are attached to an AAV of $30MM or more at the position. It will be interesting to see if a pact around that value winds up being agreed to in the coming weeks or if the threat of missed time during training camp increases as the result of an ongoing stalemate.

Commanders Surprised By Difficulties In Terry McLaurin Extension Talks

Terry McLaurin enjoyed a highly productive campaign in 2024, continuing his run as the focal point of the Commanders’ passing attack and forming a strong connection with quarterback Jayden DanielsEarly this offseason, general manager Adam Peters made it clear an extension was high on the team’s to-do list.

In spite of those two factors, it has become increasingly team and player have not made much in the way of progress at the negotiating table. McLaurin is aiming for a third Washington contract, but his absence from spring practices was the first of multiple illustrations of his frustrations. The Pro Bowl wideout was also among the extension-eligible players who skipped mandatory minicamp this week.

Plenty of time remains for an agreement to be reached before a potential training camp holdout, but work will need to be done to take care of one of the team’s top remaining pieces of offseason business. One year remains on McLaurin’s pact, and he is owed $15.5MM in non-guaranteed salary for 2025. With a scheduled cap charge $25.5MM, an extension would benefit both parties in this case. As of last week, though, nothing was imminent regarding a deal coming together.

Some eyebrows have been raised by outside observers at the extent to which the McLaurin talks have run into trouble, and they are not alone in that regard. A team source informed ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler of the surprise at how the situation has arrived at this point (video link). The source confirmed Washington’s desire to keep McLaurin, 29, in the organization for the remainder of his career. To more of an extent than the Commanders expected, however, attaining that goal has proven to be challenging.

A second-team All-Pro performer last season, McLaurin topped 1,000 yards for the fifth straight campaign while setting a new career high with 13 touchdowns. The Ohio State product has managed to produce despite a Washington tenure marked by quarterback instability prior to Daniels’ arrival and a lack of consistent No. 2 receiver options. The Commanders were known to be in the market for a WR addition this offseason, and the trade for Deebo Samuel will give them a new starter at the position. Samuel is a pending 2026 free agent, meaning he joins McLaurin in having an uncertain future past the coming campaign.

The latter remains a priority regarding an extension agreement, but it will be interesting to see how close to the top of the receiver market Washington is willing to go. McLaurin would be subject to fines if he were to skip time during training camp next month, although a breakthrough in negotiations would of course make that a moot point.

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin Skipping Minicamp

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.

No Extension Agreement Imminent Between Commanders, Terry McLaurin

5:00pm: Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer predicts an agreement will be reached on this front no later than the start of training camp (video link). He adds the value of a new contract could range between $30MM and $35MM annually given the current nature of the receiver market. In any case, an arrangement on a third contract (or at least progress toward one) will presumably be sought out in the near future by the Commanders.

12:31pm: Terry McLaurin is among the veteran players around the NFL absent from OTAs while seeking an extension. It appears progress at the negotiating table has been hard to come by in his case.

McLaurin has informed the Commanders he is “frustrated” by the status of extension talks, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. The two-time Pro Bowler has one year remaining on his contract, but it has long been known he is aiming for a new pact. An extension has also been a team priority for some time now.

As a result, many expected an agreement to be worked out between team and player. McLaurin’s importance to Washington’s offense cannot be understated, and he remained a consistent producer during the years leading up the arrival of quarterback Jayden Daniels. With the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year in place, McLaurin topped 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth straight year while reaching a new career high with 13 touchdowns.

The 29-year-old has already been paid out a $2.8MM roster bonus, and he is owed a $15.5MM base salary for the coming campaign. McLaurin is set to carry a cap charge of $25.5MM in 2025, and an extension (even by means of a raise) could lower that figure. The top of the receiver market has surpassed $40MM this offseason, and a total of eight wideouts average at least $30MM per year. The AAV of McLaurin’s existing deal checks in at $23.2MM.

Adding an established pass-catcher was an understandable offseason goal for the Commanders. To no surprise, then, the team brought in Deebo Samuel via trade. His pact was restructured upon arrival, but the former 49er joins McLaurin as a pending 2026 free agent. Ensuring at least the latter remains in place beyond the coming season – and thus through the remainder of Daniels’ rookie contract – would be a sound approach for general manager Adam Peters and Co. Work still needs to take place for that to be possible, however.

As Schultz notes, McLaurin departed the team during earlier voluntary work as an indication of his dissatisfaction. It will be interesting to see if he skips mandatory minicamp (set for June 10-12) or engages in a hold-in while extension talks continue.

Terry McLaurin Absent From Commanders OTAs; WR Eyeing Extension

The Commanders’ OTAs began on Wednesday, and Terry McLaurin was absent. The Pro Bowl wideout was also away from the team during earlier voluntary workouts, per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports.

Plenty of veteran players skip team activities at this time of year, of course, maintaining their own schedules until mandatory minicamp. In the case of those eligible for an extension, though, absences can be notable. McLaurin is indeed known to be seeking a new deal, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes.

A $2.8MM roster bonus was paid out in March in this situation, and McLaurin is currently owed a $15.5MM base salary for 2025, the final year of his deal. The receiver market has continued to surge during the 29-year-old’s decorated Washington tenure, so a raise will be in order if another extension can be worked out. Earlier this offseason, general manager Adam Peters made it clear a new McLaurin pact was a priority.

That came as little surprise, given the Ohio State product’s consistent performances as the Commanders’ No. 1 receiver over the years. 2024 marked his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign, and with Jayden Daniels at the helm last year McLaurin comfortably set a new career high with 13 touchdowns. Even with trade acquisition Deebo Samuel now in place as a starting receiver, expectations will remain high for McLaurin moving forward.

When Ja’Marr Chase inked his long-awaited Bengals deals this offseason, the number of wideouts averaging at least $30MM per year rose to eight. McLaurin – whose existing pact carries an AAV of $23.2MM – is a strong candidate to join that group on his third career deal. Making such an investment, especially while Daniels is on his rookie contract, would likely be a sound move considering the production which has been seen with a number of previous quarterbacks in the nation’s capital since 2019.

McLaurin is due to carry a $25.5MM cap charge as things stand. A long-term deal will no doubt lower that figure while ensuring a trip to free agency next spring does not become possible. It will interesting to see if negotiations pick up in a bid to get McLaurin back in the fold.

Commanders Eyeing Terry McLaurin Extension; No Laremy Tunsil Talks Yet

Terry McLaurin enjoyed a productive season during Jayden Daniels‘ rookie campaign, and he faces high expectations heading into 2025. That represents McLaurin’s walk year at this point, but a new Commanders deal could be in place this offseason.

General manager Adam Peters said on Monday (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington) “positive” discussions have taken place regarding McLaurin’s future. Peters added his desire for the two-time Pro Bowler to remain in Washington for “a long time.” As a result, a strong push to work out a third contract in the near future would not come as a surprise.

One of many impact wideouts from the 2019 draft class, McLaurin inked a three-year pact averaging $23.2MM per season. The receiver market has surged on more than one occasion since that deal was signed in 2022, and Ja’Marr Chase now leads the way at $40.25MM in annual average value. McLaurin will not approach that figure on his next pact, but having reeled off five straight 1,000-yard seasons (and after scoring a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2024), the 29-year-old has a strong case for a raise.

Washington entered the offseason in need of another veteran receiver, and that vacancy was filled by the Deebo Samuel trade. The 49ers’ 2024 offseason was dominated by the possibility of a Brandon Aiyuk swap, and he was known to be interested in a deal sending him to the Commanders (and thus reuniting him with Daniels, his former college teammate). Had such an agreement been reached, McLaurin would have been a San Francisco target regarding compensation.

Instead, the Ohio State product remains on the Commanders’ books at a scheduled 2025 cap hit of $25.5MM. That figure could be lowered with an extension tying McLaurin to the team for the foreseeable future, and it will be interesting to see if he matches the team’s desire to work out a new agreement. Elsewhere on the team’s offense, though, it is unclear if Washington’s new left tackle will be in place for years to come.

Laremy Tunsil was acquired this offseason as part of the Texans’ multi-faceted efforts to rebuild up front. The five-time Pro Bowler’s departure was driven in no small part by Houston’s preference to commit funds elsewhere on the roster, leading to questions about how willing the Commanders would be to extend him. On that note, Peters said no contract talks have taken place yet (h/t Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post).

Two years remain on Tunsil’s pact, and he is attached to a cap charge of $21.35MM for both campaigns. No guaranteed salary exists for the final season of the 30-year-old’s deal, so working out an extension before that point would be feasible from the team’s perspective. Other financial priorities appear to be in place as things stand, though.

Daniels’ rookie contract provides the Commanders with a window of opportunity to build off their surprise run to the NFC title game last season. Both McLaurin and Tunsil will play key roles in that effort for at least the 2025 campaign, but they could be on separate paths with respect to their respective futures in the organization.