The Washington Commanders and Terry McLaurin have seemingly hit a dead end in their negotiations about a contract extension. As a result, the wide receiver requested a trade on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
For a New England Patriots team that is in the process of rebuilding its roster around second-year quarterback Drake Maye, that could be welcome news. McLaurin, after all, would be a premium addition to their roster and viable No. 1 wide receiver.
One of the best X-receivers in the game, the 2019 third-round draft pick is coming off five straight seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards. In 2024, he caught 82 passes from then-rookie Jayden Daniels while gaining 1,096 yards and scoring a career-high 13 touchdowns. McLaurin was instrumental in helping the Commanders reach the playoffss and Daniels win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The Patriots trying to add a player of that caliber to their offense would make all the sense in the world. McLaurin would immediately take over as the starting X-receiver, pushing the current group led by free agency pickup Mack Hollins, third-year man Kayshon Boutte, and third-round rookie Kyle Williams down the depth chart.
A starting trio of McLaurin on the outside, Stefon Diggs at the Z and DeMario Douglas in the slot would be a clear upgrade over Maye’s current supporting let alone the one he had to work with in 2024. From that perspective, trying to manufacture a trade would be a no-brainer.
It also would make sense given the potential compensation or both team and player.
McLaurin is reportedly seeking a deal upward of $30 million per year; his current contract signed in 2022 pays him an average of $23.2 million per season before voiding next February. The Patriots, who currently have around $59 million in salary cap space available per Miguel Benzan, would be able to afford giving the 29-year-old the deal he wants both in 2025 and beyond.
They also have some assets to send to Washington. They own 10 draft picks in 2026, including their original first-, second- and third-rounders — that middle one possible being the sweet spot — as well as some trade chips such as wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Ja’Lynn Polk or Javon Baker. A package deal involving one or two of those plus some draft capital might get the Commanders to make a move.
This, however, is where things might get tricky for the Patriots. While they have the setup to go after McLaurin and reason to do so, the Commanders moving on from him at this point in time is still considered highly unlikely.
“I’d be shocked if Washington entertained a trade,” wrote ESPN’s John Keim on social media Thursday.
That sentiment does not come out of the blue given that the Commanders have plenty of reason to hold onto McLaurin.
For starters, everything written above applies to Washington just like it does to New England. McLaurin is a true WR1 in their system capable of changing the offense and making life easier for his quarterback, the aforementioned Jayden Daniels.
Even though Washington did bring in Deebo Samuel this offseason and spent a fourth-round pick on Jaylin Lane, the team is not equipped to handle losing McLaurin (even if gaining some assets from New England in return). He is the team’s top wideout and has shown that he can be a reliable volume target for his young passer.
The financial commitment would be significant for a player set to turn 30 in September, but Washington is clearly a better team with McLaurin on board. They know it, too, or else they might have used some of their assets differently this offseason in hopes of further strengthening the receiving corps.
It will all come down to whether Washington and McLaurin can follow a playbook already laid out by other receivers like Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins. Both ended up staying with their original teams, the 49ers and Bengals, respectively, instead of getting traded.
The McLaurin situation might work out differently, but at the moment it still appears it will not. And that is not the only reason why a move to New England might not be realistic.
As noted above, McLaurin is going to turn 30 next month. While there is a realistic chance he still remains at the top of his game for two or three more seasons, the Patriots also are staring down the barrel of some massive contract extensions coming up: cornerback Christian Gonzalez will be eligible for a new deal starting in 2026, with Drake Maye next in line the following offseason.
Both of those deals might come in near the top of the market depending on whether the two players can stay on their current trajectory. With those two set to eat into a healthy portion of New England’s cap, a wideout in his 30s taking up $30-plus million might not be the best allocation of assets.
Add it all up, and you can see why the Patriots adding McLaurin to the mix might remain a pipe dream.
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