Recent history WR trades put Terry McLaurin’s value in perspective — and the picture isn’t pretty for the Commanders’ shot at a clean pivot
The Commanders and Terry McLaurin are at an impasse. With a trade request formally submitted, what kind of compensation could Washington really get?
The Washington Commanders‘ standoff with Terry McLaurin has been edging closer and closer to volatile in recent weeks. McLaurin has been emphatic about his desire for a new deal — fueled on in large part by an exploding wide receiver market that now features a top annual average salary in excess of $40 million per season. That title goes to Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who is fresh off a receiving Triple Crown and in the prime of his career at 25 years old.
McLaurin isn’t asking to earn Chase money, but reports indicate that he is, indeed, asking to jump a few pay brackets with his new contract with Washington. And the Commanders have, understandably, been resistant to the idea of paying north of $30 million per season for a wide receiver who is set to turn 30 in September.
McLaurin’s efforts to secure a new deal from Washington, who is firmly in a winning window, have moved to the “request a trade” chapter. As intimidating as the idea may sound, the reality of the situation is the same issues that have the Commanders resistant to green-lighting a monster, top-dollar extension would be central to any trade discussions, too.
What do recent wide receiver trades say about compensation packages? What could the Commanders get in a deal? These three deals of standout receivers on big-contracts (and the need for an adjusted deal) don’t paint a rosy picture.
Recent NFL wide receiver trades that could mirror McLaurin’s trade value
D.K. Metcalf traded to the Steelers
The good news for McLaurin is that the Metcalf example, which went down this offseason, did indeed see the star receiver paid long-term. Some have used Metcalf’s contract figures as the benchmark that McLaurin is aiming for. But the reality of the situation is wide receiver age walls can come fast and Metcalf will play nearly this entire season as a 27-year old. McLaurin will turn 30 before the end of Week 2.
Metcalf is a very different style of receiver than McLaurin, which could be argued in Scary Terry’s favor — but it’s not a coincidence that Metcalf’s guaranteed money on his new deal from Pittsburgh expires before his age-29 season in 2027.
Metcalf and a 2025 sixth-round pick was traded to Pittsburgh for the 52nd-overall selection and a 2025 seventh-round draft choice. Metcalf was then given a four-year, $132 million extension with $60 million guaranteed at signing.
Stefon Diggs traded to the Texans
Diggs already had the big contract in hand from Buffalo when he got traded to Houston in April of 2024. As a matter of fact, the first order of business for these two parties after a deal came together was to tear up the remainder of his contract and collect a one-year raise. Diggs was originally slated to make $22.52 million in 2024 with the Bills on what would have been the first year of the extension he signed with Buffalo back in 2022. He collected $29.765 million from the Texans instead as a 30-year old wide receiver before free agency after the season.
The result was catastrophic.
That original contract with the Bills doesn’t do McLaurin any favors — the annual average salary of that deal was $24 million per season, far below the price point he’s seeking now. The way Diggs aged on that contract doesn’t do McLaurin any favors, either. Diggs posted his worst yardage total in four years during his age-29 season in Buffalo and then, after being traded to Houston, tore his ACL and missed half of 2024.
Diggs, along with a 2024 sixth-round draft choice and a 2025 fifth-round draft choice, were sent to Houston for a future (2025) second-round pick back in April of 2024.
DeAndre Hopkins traded to the Cardinals
Hopkins was traded from Houston to Arizona back in March of 2020 after coming off of three consecutive first-team All-Pro seasons with the Texans. He was 28 years old at the time of the trade and played his first season in Arizona two years younger than what McLaurin will be this year.
Upon Hopkins’ arrival to Arizona, he immediately negotiated a two-year, $54.5 million extension to secure a pay raise. Initially slated to earn $12.5 million from his prior contract in Houston, Hopkins collected over $27.5 million in 2020 after finalizing the new deal. It was, at the time, the highest new money average for any non-quarterback and it included a full no-trade clause. Just one year later, Hopkins was suspended six games for a violation of the PED policy and his star has faded quickly.
As far as the trade compensation, the deal here is unique as a reference point, especially given Washington is in a competitive window and will almost assuredly want talent to replace McLaurin in the world in which he gets sent packing.
Houston sent Hopkins and a 2020 fourth-round pick to Arizona for a 2020 second-round pick, a 2021 fourth-round pick and running back David Johnson.
Washington Commanders News
There’s a new twist in the Commanders-Terry McLaurin standoff and it adds an interesting layer to the whole situation
Training camp has been underway for the Washington Commanders for almost a week now and Terry McLaurin has been a no-show, as pretty much everyone expected. Well, that changed Sunday. Fans that showed up to the first practice were welcomed with a major surprise in the form of a present Terry McLaurin. There's a twist, […]
