The Washington Commanders lost their preseason opener in embarrassing fashion, 48-18, to the New England Patriots. It's the preseason, so whatever, but the vibes around the organization are not as strong as one might expect after last season. Jayden Daniels looks like the prodigal son. This team was a win away from the Super Bowl after entering the 2024 campaign with zero expectations.
Ane yet, with more expectations comes more pressure, and the Commanders are beginning to feel it. This roster improved wholesale over the offseason as the front office poured resources into the defense and added around the margins offensively. But it all feels moot unless Terry McLaurin is on the field, and right now the Pro Bowl wideout remains M.I.A. As in, he's staging a hold-in — and a trade request.
The circumstances aren't hard to wrap your head around. McLaurin wants a new long-term contract befitting one of the very best wide receivers in football. The Commanders don't really want to drop the bag on a 29-year-old wideout in this economy. Both are fair positions to a certain extent, although it's clearer by the day that Washington needs McLaurin on the field.
Naturally, Commanders fans are being totally normal about new video of McLaurin talking to Washington's GM at practice.
Terry McLaurin, GM Adam Peters talk at Commanders practice
The video — without sound — shows McLaurin speaking at length with Adam Peters. We are not professional lip readers and won't even venture a guess at what was said... but the comments on X are chock full of amateur lip readers more than willing to offer up their interpretations, so knock yourself out.
Lip readers gonna be in full force on this one pic.twitter.com/ENePHvJ4XY
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 12, 2025
Even without context, it feels notable that McLaurin and Peters are talking in front of cameras. It feels like step toward an amicable conclusion. While McLaurin has asked for a trade, I think we all know he doesn't want to leave. He just wants his money and he taken the necessary steps to wrench what little leverage he can away from the Commanders, as is his right.
Commanders need to hammer out Terry McLaurin's next contract ASAP
The sooner this ends, the better for all parties. McLaurin can get back out on the field and ramp up toward the regular season. Washington can put the media circus to bed and focus on football. And most importantly, the team is just better with McLaurin on the field. The wide receiver room continues to earn poor reviews in his absence.
Deebo Samuel has taken on an outsized importance throughout camp. While he's still a very useful player, depending on Samuel as a load-bearing star at this point in his career would be a catastrophic error. Washington is otherwise dependent on young, inexperienced pass-catchers with very little (or none) NFL success to their name.
Daniels is a wizard and he should be able to drag a weakened core to the postseason, but if the Commanders are serious about challenging Philadelphia in the NFC East and pushing for a Super Bowl, it starts with locking down McLaurin and investing in the best element of last season's offense.