The cold, hard truth is that the Washington Commanders have all of the leverage in the Terry McLaurin contract standoff
The saga between the Washington Commanders and All-Pro WR Terry McLaurin has taken many twists and turns, and it’s slowly gotten worse as the summer drags on.McLaurin has been the only side of the negotiations to make any type of move to push leverage and get a deal done sooner rather than later. He’s done […]
The saga between the Washington Commanders and All-Pro WR Terry McLaurin has taken many twists and turns, and it’s slowly gotten worse as the summer drags on.
McLaurin has been the only side of the negotiations to make any type of move to push leverage and get a deal done sooner rather than later. He’s done everything possible from publicly speaking out against the team, sitting out of training camp, returning to camp, and then recently made his biggest power move by requesting a trade.
Even after playing every card in his hand this offseason to get leverage on the team, the Commanders still have the upper hand on McLaurin, and absolutely nothing can change that.
Why McLaurin won’t be traded
There have been reports that teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers have called to check in on trading for McLaurin, and that shouldn’t be a surprise. The thing is, though, he will not be traded, and there are a lot of factors that prohibit it from happening. McLaurin is likely worth a second-round pick, in my opinion, but the fact that he allegedly wants a contract extension that averages to about $33 million per year hurts that trade value.
No team in the NFL would trade a second round pick while giving a soon to be 30 yeard old WR a new contract worth that much. The Commanders very likely wouldn’t receive a trade package worth accepting for their best weapon on offense and get the immediate payoff this season. McLaurin very likely doesn’t want to even be traded in the first place. Neither side actually wants McLaurin out of Washington.
The likely outcomes for McLaurin and the Commanders
There are only two possible outcomes for McLaurin this season: he’s either going to be extended, or he’s going to have to play the final year of his contract out. The Commanders really could play hardball with McLaurin if he refuses to come down from his number and let him play his final year of his contract out, and they know he wouldn’t sit out games and lose even more money.
They could either franchise tag McLaurin after the season or let him leave in free agency, so they can recoup a high-value compensation pick for losing the All-Pro. McLaurin’s market would likely change drastically unless he has another career-best season, as he would be approaching 31 years old going into free agency. Both outcomes severely hurt what McLaurin is looking for: more money and long-term stability.
No matter what McLaurin does, the Commanders hold the keys to decide his fate in Washington. The two can meet in the middle on a number that makes sense, or this could drag into next season, where we do this all again.
Washington Commanders News
WR Terry McLaurin’s contract standoff with the Washington Commanders officially hits a head with a move we all should have seen coming
The worst-case scenario for the Washington Commanders has officially happened as All-Pro WR Terry McLaurin has requested a trade from the team. The contract standoff has gone downhill quickly since McLaurin publicly spoke about his dissatisfaction with the front office and lack of communication on a new contract, but this is a new low in […]
