Terry McLaurin wants to get paid, but he also doesn't want to be a nuisance to his teammates. The star wide receiver knows the Washington Commanders can build off of a wildly successful 2024 campaign and do something special in 2025. Meanwhile, a stalemate between him and the front office continues.
McLaurin's attendance (or lack thereof) remains unclear on the eve of Washington's veterans being set to report to training camp on July 22. It's uncertain if the disgruntled wideout shows up for work amid a well-chronicled contract dispute or doesn't to send a firm message during negotiations. Per Henry McKenna of FOX Sports, a trade request is also seemingly still in the cards. However, no matter the circumstances, the welfare of the Commanders' locker room is ostensibly of the utmost priority.
Terry McLaurin doesn't want to be a distraction to Commanders teammates amid contract stalemate
McLaurin is "most interested in 'trying to bring a deal together, not breaking the team apart,'" McKenna wrote, citing a source "close to" the two-time Pro Bowler." While negotiations aren't going as planned, the greater good of the Commanders is the matter of greatest importance. It's a brief but powerful message to communicate during an ugly standoff between Washington and a franchise cornerstone.
As a locker room leader and team captain, McLaurin understands it's not just about him; it takes a village. Despite his frustrations and desire for a raise and long-term security, he wants the collective group to be able to keep improving uninterrupted. Yet, it could take him rattling cages to get the Commanders' attention, which could complicate matters.
After skipping mandatory minicamp earlier this offseason and running up a tab of $104,768 in fines, McLaurin and the Commanders have made no progress. Washington hasn't spoken to him about a deal "in weeks," McKenna notes. Even after he publicly expressed his exasperation about the unresolved situation. Nonetheless, the name on the front of the jersey is a deciding factor in how the one on the back operates.
Entering the final season of a three-year, $68.36 million extension he signed in 2022, McLaurin is set to make approximately $19.7 million this season. Several receivers have cleared the $28 million annual threshold, and he's coming off an All-Pro Second Team nod. In other words, yesterday's price isn't today's; his market value has increased considerably.
Some of McLaurin's peers who aren't the first option of their respective passing attacks are making more money. He wants the Commanders to show how much they appreciate his efforts, though above all, the Ohio State product is focused on Washington's overall success.