Washington’s star wide receiver Terry McLaurin has finally gotten his deal. Multiple reports confirmed Monday that McLaurin and the Washington Commanders agreed to a three-year contract extension worth up to $96 million, including a $30 million signing bonus. The agreement ends McLaurin’s training-camp holdout and trade demand, and solidifies his status as the team’s go-to offensive weapon. We break down the contract terms and guarantees, the holdout saga and trade request, the impact on QB Jayden Daniels and the offense, McLaurin’s career credentials, expert reaction, and how the deal fits into NFC East and NFL wide receiver contract trends.
Extension Terms and Top-WR Comparisons
Under the new contract McLaurin’s average annual value (AAV) is about $32 million per year, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers. Reports say the 3-year, $96M deal includes a $30M signing bonus. That AAV ties McLaurin with Philadelphia’s All-Pro receiver A.J. Brown (also $32M/yr) for the sixth-highest average at the position, behind only Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase (~$40.25M/yr), Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson ($35M), Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb ($34M), Pittsburgh’s D.K. Metcalf ($33M), and the New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson ($32.5M). In fact, this extension is the largest contract in Commanders history – McLaurin will make more per season than any Washington wideout has ever earned. By these measures, he now ranks among the top half-dozen paid receivers in football. The deal reflects the recent surge in elite WR salaries (Pittsburgh just gave Metcalf a five-year, $150M deal) that had pushed McLaurin’s old $23.2M AAV down to 17th at the position.
Holdout, Trade Request and Negotiation Background
During the offseason McLaurin made clear he wanted a new deal, and tensions built throughout summer. He skipped offseason workouts and, as camp opened, “began training camp by holding out, reported without practicing for weeks and submitted a trade request July 31”. In mid-July he publicly expressed frustration in a team press conference and then stayed away from camp, earning fines. ESPN reported McLaurin was fined roughly $200,000 for missing the first four days of camp (plus ~$105,000 for skipping June minicamp). When he finally showed up late in camp, the team placed him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with an ankle issue – a move that halted the fines. On July 31 he officially requested a trade, but Washington’s front office made clear he was not for sale. With negotiations stalled, McLaurin remained off the active roster through mid-August. The logjam ended only when both sides struck this extension agreement just days before the regular-season opener.
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Key timeline: Mid-July – McLaurin publicly voiced contract frustration. Late July – missed practices, fined ~$200K. Aug. 16 – reactivated from PUP as talks resumed.
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Trade request: Filed July 31, but reportedly not accepted by Washington.
- Resolution: Extension agreed Aug. 25, keeping McLaurin in D.C. through 2028.
Impact on Commanders’ Offense and Jayden Daniels
By signing McLaurin, Washington keeps QB Jayden Daniels’ top target intact. As the Washington Post notes, the deal ensures “quarterback Jayden Daniels will have his favorite receiver at his disposal” when the season starts. McLaurin and Daniels already built a strong rapport in 2024: last year McLaurin posted 82 receptions for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns, his best season. He was virtually unstoppable deep – Daniels recorded a Total QBR of 90.6 when targeting McLaurin, and half of Daniels’ 30+ yard completions went to him. In practical terms, McLaurin’s presence gives Washington a proven deep-threat and red-zone scorer to pair with Daniels’ dynamic playmaking. The extension means the Commanders will not need to alter their offense or Daniels’s reads – McLaurin remains the security blanket and explosive play-maker for a team coming off its first NFC Championship berth since 1991.
McLaurin’s Career Highlights and Value
McLaurin’s résumé explains why the Commanders invested so heavily. The Ohio State product has been exceptionally consistent and durable. He has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards five consecutive seasons (from 2020–2024), and he’s only missed 3 of 104 possible games since joining Washington (101 games played including playoffs). Notably, he became one of just five players in NFL history to record 900+ receiving yards and 50+ catches in each of his first six seasons, despite Washington cycling through quarterbacks early in his career. He has earned multiple Pro Bowl selections (including after 2023) and even set Washington franchise records: last season’s 13 touchdown catches was a team single-season record. In short, McLaurin has been the Commanders’ most productive playmaker year in, year out – the kind of reliable star who normally commands a top-tier contract.
Expert Reactions and NFC East Context
Reaction to the deal has been largely positive. Co-owner Magic Johnson took to social media to congratulate GM Adam Peters and the ownership group, calling it “great news for players, the organization and all [Commanders] fans” and praising McLaurin as “not just a great football player, he is an outstanding leader”. Even NFC East rival coaches acknowledged McLaurin’s talent. New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll called him “a heck of a player: dynamic, [and] versatile,” noting McLaurin’s explosiveness and production. NFL analysts have pointed out that with this deal Washington is matching a league-wide trend of skyrocketing receiver salaries. For example, Pittsburgh just gave Metcalf a four-year deal worth $132 million ($33M per year, with $60M guaranteed) – figures that were reportedly a benchmark in these negotiations. An AP analysis notes that recent WR mega-deals dropped McLaurin’s previous $23.2M AAV to 17th-ranked, so the new contract simply restores him to his merit-based standing.
These dollars also align Washington competitively within the NFC East. McLaurin’s $32M/year salary now ties him with Philadelphia’s AJ Brown and is second in the division behind only Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb (~$34M). In other words, the Commanders will not be outmatched on the wage scale by Dallas or Philadelphia at the receiver position. Taken together, the McLaurin extension puts Washington firmly on par with its rivals in paying for star pass-catchers – a key factor in a division and league where elite wideout contracts have become record-setting.
Expert/Insider comments:
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Magic Johnson (Co-owner): “Job well done by my partner Josh Harris and GM Adam Peters… Terry is more than just a great football player, he is an outstanding leader…”.
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Brian Daboll (Giants HC): “He’s a heck of a player: dynamic, versatile player… He makes a lot of plays… He was very productive last year with Jayden”.
By securing McLaurin, the Commanders have a clear star receiver locked in. In an NFC East now featuring top receivers like CeeDee Lamb, AJ Brown and others, Washington won’t trail its rivals in pass-catcher talent – and as the NFL’s WR market inflates, McLaurin’s deal ensures the team stays in step. All told, this extension ends the offseason drama and sets the Commanders up to open 2025 with one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.
Sources: Official reports and analysis from AP, ESPN, NFL.com and local press.
