Terry McLaurin, the Washington Commanders’ star wide receiver, is currently in a challenging contract situation after signing a three-year, $68.2 million extension with the Commanders in July 2022. At today’s press conference to kick off training camp, Commanders General Manager Adam Peters addressed the situation.
Peters acknowledged the contract talks and noted that the two sides have recently had conversations, stating that “we’re going to do everything we can to get a deal done.” He also said that the team expects McLaurin to report to camp like all of their players.
McLaurin is entering the final year of his contract that gives him an average annual salary of $23.2 million, which ranks him around 17th among wide receivers in the NFL. He recently publicly expressed significant frustration and disappointment with the lack of progress on a new contract extension and feels he has consistently proven his worth and value to the team, saying “everything that has transpired to this point has been disappointing and frustrating. I’ve wanted to continue my career here. I’ve created my life here.”
The wide receiver market has seen a significant increase in recent contracts, with top receivers now earning $30 million annually or more (e.g., Garrett Wilson’s recent $32.5 million per year deal). McLaurin is coming off a strong 2024 season with over 1,000 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, and he’s been a consistent performer since being drafted in 2019. He believes his performance warrants a contract in line with the current top receivers.
Due to the stalled talks, McLaurin was absent from mandatory minicamp in June and has been non-committal about attending the start of training camp (which begins today). McLaurin will turn 30 in September, which is a factor that some analysts suggest the Commanders’ front office might be considering when looking at a long-term, high-value contract.
