The Washington Commanders are in one of the most enviable positions in the NFL. It took less than a month for quarterback Jayden Daniels to assert himself as a star, proving himself repeatedly, including an incredible performance against the top-seeded Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional Round.
They’ve found a strong pairing at head coach and general manager, and that regime acted accordingly in the offseason, helping build a Super Bowl contender around Daniels.
The short-term future is promising, and the long-term outlook is elevated by Daniels’ presence. But ensuring that the future remains fruitful demands several pieces stay in Washington.
Receiver Terry McLaurin, a Landover stalwart and consistent star, is set to be a free agent in 2026. As June approaches, he’s without a deal. General manager Adam Peters has a chance to change that.
Commanders insider Ben Standig set the expectation for a McLaurin contract extension.
“Wake me up if there’s no new agreement before training camp,” Standig wrote. “Unless McLaurin’s age (30 in September) becomes an outsized factor — Tyreek Hill (31) is the only receiver among the 15 highest paid older than the 2024 second-team All-Pro — the eventual deal will likely fall somewhere between annual salaries for Tee Higgins ($28.75 million) and D.K. Metcalf ($33 million).”
Washington has little in the form of long-term commitments and plenty of cap space to spend in the coming years. A portion of that will be spent on replenishing the veteran starters brought in on shorter, safer deals. But there’s more than enough room to extend McLaurin and make him a rare three-contract starter for the Commanders.
Standig posits that extending McLaurin – the player as much as the person – is a matter of common sense.
“We keep hearing that Peters and coach Dan Quinn have now identified the desired player traits,” Standig added. “If McLaurin, a proven locker room leader who is coming off a career-high 13 touchdowns, isn’t the poster child, who is?”
McLaurin spent the vast majority of his career as a receiver with untapped potential, held down by his organization’s inability to find a quarterback. With Daniels in the building, he scored 13 touchdowns.
McLaurin has his quarterback. It’s probably just a matter of time before Washington gives him long-term security, too.