Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin has requested a trade, according to a source close to the situation. The request comes amid the player’s frustrations with negotiations for a contract extension. Conversations between McLaurin and the team have not progressed, and the two sides appear to be far from reaching an agreement. The player missed the first four days of training camp before reporting on Sunday. Despite the absence of a new contract, McLaurin has been present on the field, signing autographs for fans after each practice. Team sources have reiterated that the Commanders have no intention of trading McLaurin. However, the interest he may generate in other teams is uncertain, especially considering the high cost involved, both in terms of compensation for the Commanders and the salary that would have to be paid to the player, which could exceed $30 million per year.
McLaurin expressed his frustration and disappointment with the negotiations on July 15, indicating that he would not return to the field until there was “progress” towards an agreement. The receiver has one year left on a three-year, $68 million extension he signed in 2022. According to Peters, although conversations have been held, there has been no significant progress. A key point of conflict is McLaurin’s age. He will turn 31 when a possible extension begins, an age at which teams are usually cautious about offering large sums of money to receivers. Last year, two older receivers signed extensions. Tyreek Hill, at 30 years old, signed a three-year extension for $30 million annually with $52.535 million guaranteed, although he was coming off consecutive seasons with at least 1,700 yards. Mike Evans, at 31, signed a two-year contract for $41 million with $35 million guaranteed, after catching 46 touchdown passes in the previous four seasons. Earlier this week, Courtland Sutton, who will turn 30 in October, signed a four-year, $92 million contract with $41 million guaranteed. Several prominent wide receivers have signed long-term deals this offseason, including Tee Higgins, DK Metcalf, and Garrett Wilson. McLaurin is two years older than Metcalf, but both were selected in the same 2019 draft. Their statistics are comparable. Metcalf has achieved 438 receptions for 6,324 yards and 48 touchdowns in his career. McLaurin has caught 460 passes for 6,379 yards and 38 touchdowns. However, surpassing the age of 30 has affected his ability to obtain a similar or better deal. This season, McLaurin has a base salary of $15.5 million with a cap hit of $25.5 million. He’s coming off a record season with 13 touchdowns, 12 of them thrown by quarterback Jayden Daniels. McLaurin has surpassed 1,000 yards in five seasons, a franchise record, with a maximum of 1,191, and has become one of the team’s most popular players since joining the league. In the past, several receivers have requested to be traded, including McLaurin’s teammate, Deebo Samuel, whose second request was granted by San Francisco this offseason. Other receivers who have also asked for trades in recent years are Higgins and Brandon Aiyuk, both of whom ended up signing extensions.“You’d like these things to happen faster, but it doesn’t always happen that way. Whatever happens along the way, just understand that he’s a great player and we want him to stay here.”
Adam Peters, Commanders General Manager
