Contract negotiations between the Washington Commanders and star WR Terry McLaurin have taken center stage at this point of the offseason for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
The current state of these negotiations has one NFL writer trying to gauge exactly where this holdout ranks on the panic meter in the middle of June.
Where is the Holdout Panic Meter for Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin Entering Minicamp?
Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports believes three NFL stars currently land on the panic meter while seeking a new contract entering the 2025 NFL season. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt, Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, and Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin.
Fortunately for Washington fans, McLaurin had the lowest panic meter rating of the three star players.
Sullivan wrote, “This might be the most head-scratching holdout of the bunch. McLaurin has been one of the faces of the Commanders organization through some trying times and has been a highly productive player despite lackluster play at quarterback. When McLaurin and the Commanders finally secured an elite, young quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the veteran wideout put together arguably the best season of his career. His 13 touchdowns and 70.1% catch rate were the highest of his career, and he was a key cog in Washington reaching the NFC Championship in 2024. So, why are the Commanders fussing around with the contract, especially when they have the cap space and a quarterback playing on his rookie deal?”
Sullivan poses a fair question when you take into consideration some of the high priced veterans the Commanders acquired this offseason by trading for LT Laremy Tunsil and WR Deebo Samuel. The franchise also spent a pretty penny in free agency by signing DT Javon Kinlaw.
If the organization spending money on other veterans wasn’t enough to get McLaurin’s attention, then some of the other deals veteran receivers signed this offseason likely gave the Ohio State product enough reason to validate why he is looking for a new deal.
Sullivan added, “The wide receiver market has ballooned to where the elite pass catchers — like McLaurin — are in the $30 million-per-year range, with Ja’Marr Chase at the top of the list with a $40.25 million in AAV. McLaurin, while older, could be looking at a deal similar to DK Metcalf, who inked an extension with the Steelers this offseason that pays him about $33 million annually. That’s a hefty price, but the Commanders have broken open into a Super Bowl window with Daniels, and they’d be wise to pay his go-to target.”
Could Terry McLaurin Actually Miss Regular Season Games in 2025?
Another potential reason Commander shouldn’t be in full blown panic mode quite yet is McLaurin’s past contract negotiations having some similarities a few years back, which led to the two sides figuring out a long-term deal.
Sullivan concluded, “It’s worth pointing out that McLaurin also skipped OTAs and minicamp during the 2022 offseason before signing his three-year, $71 million contract extension, so there is precedent for this situation and everyone landing on their feet.”
The moves the Commanders made this offseason send message that Washington wants to give quarterback Jayden Daniels the best possibility to elevate this franchise to the next level by surrounding him with talent. Failing to get a contract extension done with his go-to receiver would feel very counterproductive to everything they have achieved this offseason by improving the roster.
It is hard to envision McLaurin missing any regular season games when the action starts this September, but this situation is certainly worth monitoring throughout the next few months.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin’s ‘Head-Scratching Holdout’ Appears on the ‘Panic Meter’