WR Terry McLaurin was on the PUP list for all of training camp and the preseason thus far for the Washington Commanders, but is now ending his hold-in. He has been activated from the PUP list, though Ian Rapoport is reporting this comes with no indication of progress in his ongoing contract negotiations with the team.
This comes on the heels of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury publicly pleading for him to return to practice. While there is no reported progress on his contract negotiations, the timing of his return doesn’t seem like a coincidence. It’s a sign of good faith in response to Kingsbury’s request.
The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be short a wide receiver at the moment, especially with Calvin Austin III off the practice field with an undisclosed injury for the past two weeks. McLaurin was naturally linked to the Steelers after his trade request, but there have been no credible reports of ongoing talks between the two teams.
The need for a No. 2 WR has been present since George Pickens was traded, and Austin’s injury has only renewed that idea. There are already rumblings of the Steelers poking around the WR market with local insider Mark Kaboly hinting at a move within the next two weeks.
Omar Khan has been aggressively upgrading positions of need this offseason. Nobody would have guessed that they’d trade for DK Metcalf or Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. I’m not sure any trade idea can be fully written off as the Steelers go all-in on this season. But McLaurin would be quite the splash this late in the process.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently said via NFL Live that there is optimism of a deal getting done in Washington, but the two sides remain far apart on terms. He also mentioned interest in McLaurin from around the league.
Terry McLaurin activated off PUP is a small step, but there’s a lot of work to be done on potential new deal.
Commanders are optimistic something can be done in the coming weeks. A trade doesn’t feel likely, though there’s interest. (From yesterday with @LauraRutledge) pic.twitter.com/AxO9RzCduq
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 16, 2025
At 30 years old, Terry McLaurin reportedly wants roughly what Metcalf got with the Steelers, which is north of $30 million per season. Paying two receivers that type of money without a long-term quarterback in place doesn’t seem like a winning strategy, even if it would maximize their 2025 window.
Recommended for you