The Washington Commanders continue to feel the absence of star wide receiver Terry McLaurin in practice as the team gears up for training camp. McLaurin was absent from Commanders minicamp last week, and the longer this contract stalemate drags on, the likelier it is that the team's top weapon could miss meaningful time in the run-up to what is a hugely important season.
McLaurin is entering the final year of his contract with the Commanders, and the team has yet to extend him, which is the reason for his continued absence. McLaurin is coming off an impressive 2024 season, leading the Commanders in receiving with 82 catches, 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. It was also the fifth season in a row in which McLaurin has recorded 1,000-plus receiving yards in a season, and he was instrumental in Jayden Daniels' historic rookie campaign.
Despite McLaurin's absence from OTAs, head coach Dan Quinn says that his star wideout has communicated with him often in recent weeks and that the wide receiver has had a great offseason. Jayden Daniels has also recently spoken highly of McLaurin, understanding that McLaurin has to take care of his contract while also focusing on football. But while the franchise's leading spokesmen are saying all the right things to avoid making an awkward situation worse, the fact remains that this is the last thing Washington needs right now.
Why Jayden Daniels praise of McLaurin isn't enough to excuse his absence
"Me and Terry have a good relationship outside of football," Daniels said, via a transcript from the team. "Obviously, he has to handle what he has to handle but that doesn't change anything, the fact that he is part of our brotherhood. We know Terry is working and everything. We have to get better and he knows he has to get better each and every day."
While Daniels' words are respectable, and McLaurin deserves high praise for the success he's achieved in Washington, they don't match with the present situation. Despite McLaurin's contract holdup, McLaurin should still be in practice and be a leader in the Commanders' wide receiver room.
McLaurin has one year left on his deal, so a contract extension isn't necessarily important at this time. McLaurin, even with his contract concerns, should be more present in practice as it would help the Commanders better prepare for the season.
Many Commanders and NFL fans are wondering what the cause of the holdup is on McLaurin's extension and why it's taking so long for him and the team to come to an agreement. In terms of the timing of when a deal will happen, it is still up in the air, which means McLaurin won't be involved in the Commanders' practices until his involvement is required.