The Washington Commanders and All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin remain at an impasse regarding a long-term extension.
McLaurin is coming off a career year in which he helped Washington reach the conference championship game for the first time in almost three decades. He has been the best offensive player on the Commanders since he was brought in as a third-round pick from the 2019 draft.
That is what makes McLaurin's current situation all the more confusing.
On his latest appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN's Adam Schefter made it clear that the longer it goes without any news about the current negotiation, the worse it is for Washington.
"There's no update, which is the update, and that's the problem," Schefter said about McLaurin. "The problem is with this particular situation, I think Terry McLaurin is going to argue that we've seen other wide receivers, who his numbers are comparable to those of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and DK Metcalf, get paid over $30 million a year this offseason."
So …
How silly as this become? A nonsensical NESN “story” connecting the New England Patriots not even somehow made it into print ..
But also led to a national media discussion on the idea featuring Fox host Colin Cowherd and SI’s Albert Breer.
We will work on the assumption that Cowherd and Breer know it’s nonsensical.
We hope.
McLaurin has put up over 70 catches and 1,000 yards in the last five seasons of his career. He has reached the Pro Bowl twice and set a career high in touchdowns last year with 13.
The Ohio State product has more than earned a raise. He has consistently been one of the best players in the league and Washington's most consistent star through some of the organization's most troubling times.
So what is the holdup?
At the start of the regular season, McLaurin will be 30 years old. Washington has one of the oldest rosters in the sport. After the 2025 season at receiver, they may choose to simply get younger.
But that doesn't have to mean they move on from McLaurin. The Commanders need a No. 1 receiver to play with their star quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
The longer they wait, the worse it could get between the organization and their star wideout … with the rumors slated to get more plentiful … and maybe more wacky..