The Washington Commanders and wide receiver Terry McLaurin have been discussing a new contract for quite some time, but nothing has been finalized. The signs were positive at the very least, as McLaurin reported to training camp despite wanting a new deal. The Commanders spoke highly of McLaurin and sounded as though they would be willing to give him a contract extension that will make him happy.
But on Thursday, talks took a turn for the worst. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, McLaurin approached the Commanders and officially requested a trade.
BREAKING: #Commanders All-Pro WR Terry McLaurin has requested a trade, multiple sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/DQ33B2I6oi
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 31, 2025
This isn't great news for a team looking to contend for a Super Bowl after falling one game short last season. Losing your top wide receiver makes that that much harder, as McLaurin is not a replaceable pass catcher.
Terry McLaurin shockingly requests trade from Commanders as contract drama continues
NFL fans have seen multiple players this offseason request trades. Some of them result in trades. Others, like Trey Hendrickson and Tee Higgins, don't result in trades, as the team just refuses to deal them away. It will be interesting to see if the Commanders take a similar approach or ultimateely cave in if they realize the relationship is beyond repair.
McLaurin is easily the Commanders' top skill position players on the team, and it's not particularly close. The Commanders selected McLaurin in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. Since his selection, McLaurin has been a consistent force on offense, recording 1,000 receiving yards in the previous five seasons. And that was with uncertainty at quarterback.
Now, the Commanders have Jayden Daniels, who has proven that he is the team's long-term answer at quarterback, due in part to his passing and rushing abilities. McLaurin was a beneficiary of Daniels' addition, as he caught 82-of-117 targets for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those numbers helped McLaurin earn his second Pro Bowl nomination.
with Daniels now entering a pivotal second season with high expectations, losing his No. 1 target won't help matters. It will be interesting to see if the Commanders and McLaurin reach an agreement on a deal, or if another team makes an offer to force them to trade the wide receiver to them.