The Washington Commanders are in win-now mode, and Terry McLaurin is as important as anybody on the roster this side of Jayden Daniels on a path to making a Super Bowl run.
That's why the Commanders and star receiver McLaurin - who reportedly started preliminary talks on a contract extension in March - are in the news today ...
As McLaurin was this week not present at the team's offseason programs for the first time.
That could be due to any number of reasons, and these OTAs are voluntary. Still, Commanders fans are surely sweating this one out, at least a bit ... knowing that the eventualy mandatory camp will reveal if this is a true holdout.
But while we wait? Speculation rears its ugly head.
One Pittsburgh Steelers fan site is pushing for the idea of a McLaurin trade, calling it a "sneaky'' move.
Commanders fans would prefer to call it a "terrible'' one.
McLaurin is one of the league's most consistent receivers, as he has totaled over 1,000 yards in the last five seasons, including a 1,096-yard tally from 2024 that included 82 catches and 13 touchdowns. ... and it's often done it without a quality QB.
The vision of him continuing to hook up with Daniels, maybe for the rest of his career, is the Washington ideal.
How to pay him - Cincy's Ja'Marr Chase has the most expensive non-quarterback contract in the league currently at $40 million per year, with Minnesota's Justin Jefferson and Dallas' CeeDee Lamb following behind at $35 and $34 million respectively - is an issue.
But paying him, as opposed to trading him, has always been the Commanders' plan here. So ... sweat it out. But don't look for anything "sneaky.''