Washington Commanders News & Rumors

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.

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.

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.