Terry McLaurin’s trade request continues to be the subject of intense speculation in the media. The Washington Commanders have no intention to move their best wide receiver, but it didn’t exactly raise urgency to get this contract standoff resolved, either.
McLaurin, upon the advice of his agent, has taken every drastic measure imaginable so far. He has no more cards to play unless the wideout sits out the entire campaign. This also led one media voice to accuse the former third-round pick of overplaying his hand.
The Commanders love McLaurin. Dan Quinn hasn’t addressed the matter with the squad. The head coach knows that the NFL is a business, and he’s not willing to speak about another man’s money. Once everything gets worked out, which remains the most likely outcome, the wideout will be welcomed back with open arms.
Terry McLaurin piled pressure on the Commanders, but they haven’t budged just yet
But McLaurin wants more long-term financial security first. The Commanders are unwilling to meet his demands, and both sides have drawn their respective lines in the sand. It’s an unwanted distraction, but not unsalvageable by any stretch of the imagination.
Stephen A. Smith from ESPN lent further weight to the claims that McLaurin is looking for north of $30 million per season. He also thought his trade request didn’t hold much weight, considering there might not be another team willing to pay him that amount.
“I’m not sure how wise it is for him to take this position at this particular moment in time. The brother is a guy that registers thousand-yard seasons with regularity. He can ball. He is a valuable asset to their franchise. My sources tell me right now they’re at about $27 million with him. I think they should at least come up to $30 million. There’s no question about that, but if they come up to $30-$31 million, I’m not sure there’s somebody else out there that is giving Terry McLaurin that kind of paper.”
Stephen A. Smith via Sportskeeda
McLaurin will have a queue of suitors if the Commanders become even slightly receptive to offers. But considering his age, the compensation attached would be nowhere near what general manager Adam Peters could deem acceptable.
Age is the biggest stumbling block here. McLaurin will be 30 years old in September. He’ll be 31 years old when his new deal kicks in. Although the Ohio State product has shown no signs of slowing down, Peters is well aware of the statistical drop-off that most wideouts suffer when they go past their prime.
That is what’s putting him off right now. McLaurin’s frustrations have grown, and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. But if the Commanders don’t successfully conclude this concerning matter, they can kiss their Super Bowl aspirations goodbye.
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