AUGUST 27: The deal’s base value has emerged; as expected, McLaurin did not score a top-five wide receiver rate. This is a three-year, $87MM extension, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. It includes $44.65MM guaranteed at signing — $30MM of that figure comes via a signing bonus — according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. While just $2.9MM of McLaurin’s $12.9MM 2026 base salary is guaranteed at signing, Breer adds a $10MM 2026 roster bonus is fully guaranteed. McLaurin’s 2027 and ’28 base salaries are nonguaranteed.
Rumors emerged this summer indicating the Commanders were leery of a $30MM-per-year payday for a wideout set to turn 30, and they have McLaurin at $29MM AAV. This value checks in 10th among receivers, settling between the $30MM-AAV club and Tee Higgins‘ $28.75MM-per-year deal. In terms of full guarantees, McLaurin matches Chris Godwin for ninth at the position.
AUGUST 25: Terry McLaurin‘s contract saga has come to an end. The Pro Bowl wideout finalized an extension with the Commanders on Monday, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The news is now official, per a team announcement.
This is a three-year accord, per Schultz. He adds McLaurin’s new deal is worth over $96MM. One year remained on his pact prior to today’s news. As a result, McLaurin is now on the books through 2028. This pact contains a $30MM signing bonus, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.
Multiple reports indicate $96MM actually represents the maximum value of this accord. In any event, today’s agreement ends the questions related to McLaurin’s future in Washington. A trade request was issued in response to extension talks failing to progress as hoped. At no point did it appear likely a swap would take place, however, with the Commanders intending to move forward without entertaining trade offers.
McLaurin was briefly absent from training camp, but he later reported and was moved to the active/PUP list. Upon being activated, the 29-year-old was not a full practice participant. Uncertainty loomed in this case as the countdown to Week 1 continued without much in the way of progress being made. After a spell without the parties speaking to one another, though, the expected outcome in this case has arrived.
Exact figures on McLaurin’s initial asking price did not emerge, but over the course of the offseason it became clear the Commanders were taken aback by it. Concerns related to the Ohio State product’s age were a sticking point in negotiations, but today’s pact means McLaurin will remain in the nation’s capital through the foreseeable future (and across the remainder of quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ rookie contract). This marks the second time in his career McLaurin has taken a three-year extension (whereas four-year pacts are common for high-profile receivers).
As the wait for precise details on this extension continues, it is clear McLaurin has secured a major raise. He was owed a base salary of $15.5MM for 2025 with a cap charge of $25.5MM; both figures will change once the deal is finalized. An average annual value of $32MM would put him in a tie for sixth amongst receivers and fall just short of D.K. Metcalf‘s Steelers accord. The Metcalf deal has long been viewed as a comparable one for McLaurin, although he did not deem it necessary to match it entirely.
Receiver depth was an issue for the Commanders last year, and general manager Adam Peters swung a trade with his former team to acquire Deebo Samuel. The former All-Pro will add a unique element to Washington’s offense in 2025, but he is a pending free agent. Especially against the backdrop of a potential Samuel departure next spring, hammering out a long-term McLaurin pact was critical for the team. The top of Washington’s WR depth chart is now set to remain intact for years to come.
McLaurin has topped 1,000 yards in each of the past five seasons, and in 2024 he comfortably set a new career high with 13 touchdowns. A strong connection with Daniels could help the Commanders in their effort to duplicate last year’s run to the NFC title game. McLaurin has been available for a full campaign every year since 2021, so durability should not be a concern as he plays out his third NFL pact.
Expectations will be high for McLaurin in the wake of this news, something which will pave the way for a return to practice. He will spend the coming days ramping up in advance of Week 1, and another productive season would set the Commanders up for successful campaign while also proving their investment to be worthwhile.
A reunion with the 49ers quickly became a possibility with general manager John Lynch, who signed Bourne as an undrafted free agent in 2017, confirming the team’s interest. The 30-year-old is now set to visit San Francisco, as well as Washington to meet with the Commanders, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
