It didn’t look like Adam Peters and Terry McLaurin would back down in their ongoing contract battle. However, the Washington Commanders’ wide receiver took a major step in the right direction when hope was quickly fading.
And fans are eagerly anticipating what comes next.
McLaurin was activated off the physically unable to perform list. He didn’t practice on Saturday, but the wideout is now committed to rejoining his teammates on the field sooner rather than later.
Some of the team’s passionate supporters thought the Commanders would confirm a lucrative new contract for McLaurin after this news became official. That hasn’t arrived as yet, but it might not be much longer before this long-running drama concludes.
Commanders could be edging closer to Terry McLaurin contract extension at long last
The former third-round pick out of Ohio State said earlier this offseason that he’d find it difficult to practice unless significant progress was being made in negotiations. McLaurin coming off PUP is a sign that things are progressing well, although that’s not been confirmed.
Everyone was becoming increasingly frustrated by McLaurin’s absence. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury made his feelings known, so maybe his blunt message resonated with the wideout. But it’s the money that will talk loudest when it’s all said and done.
McLaurin wants to be paid among the league’s best. Peters has been extremely reluctant to meet these demands, given the fact that this new deal won’t kick in until the second-team All-Pro is 31 years old. Every card has been played by the player’s representatives. And it’s been a distraction the Commanders didn’t need with so much on the line in 2025.
There is hope, but reports are conflicting. Some insiders still think both parties are a long way from finding some middle ground. Others believe an extension will be agreed upon in the coming days. It’s a waiting game for fans, but one cannot see this latest development as anything other than positive.
The Commanders aren’t going to go deep into the playoffs without McLaurin leading the wideout unit. He’s been a model of consistency since entering the league, but Peters wants to protect the franchise’s long-term project. Looking at the typical drop-off in production from receivers as they get into their 30s, he’s well within his rights to do just that.
That’s left McLaurin feeling disrespected and undervalued by the organization this summer. But deciding to come off the PUP list could be a telling indicator that the pendulum has shifted in this dynamic.
Hopefully, a new contract gets finalized soon, and everyone associated with the Commanders can finally turn their full focus onto preparations for the new campaign.
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