Terry McLaurin has suffered through a lot of bad quarterbacks, and a lot of bad football.
That’s not a reason to pay a player $96 million, as the Washington Commanders did on a three-year extension Monday, though Commanders fans would probably argue the backpay was rightfully earned.
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No player epitomizes the bridge between the old, embarrassing Daniel Snyder era and this hopeful time for the franchise as fans who come back to again be proud to root for the team dig their old No. 17 jerseys out. McLaurin, playing with instant superstar rookie Jayden Daniels, had a career year. The Commanders went to the NFC championship game. He wanted to be paid. Given McLaurin’s popularity, it was the rare case in which most fans seemed to side with the player in negotiations.
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Had the Commanders not gotten it done, the fan base might have revolted. Getting the deal done took a while, but it was the right move on just about any level.
Terry McLaurin’s raise was deserved
McLaurin wanted a raise after 1,096 yards and a career-best 13 touchdowns. He’ll turn 30 in September, and this was his last good chance at a huge deal. He did what other players have tried and made a trade request that was never going to be executed by the team, and held in waiting for the deal. Realistically, had negotiations dragged on any further, McLaurin’s availability for Week 1 would be in danger.
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After a transformative season for the franchise, the last thing the Commanders wanted was to lose momentum. That goes for the fanbase and also on the field. Washington went 12-5 and while there are a lot of regression factors working against them repeating that, the best chance to keep moving forward was to retain one of their best players.
Washington made some moves to acquire veterans like offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Deebo Samuel, indicating they want to win now. It wasn’t the time, especially with Daniels on a severe discount with his rookie deal, to alienate their best offensive skill player.
McLaurin’s $32 million average salary is now tied for sixth in the NFL, right alongside A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles. Maybe that’s a touch of an overpay, but it’s not like McLaurin hadn’t earned it.
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McLaurin is a huge part of Commanders offense
The Commanders’ offense looks much better with McLaurin back on the field.
Washington is betting that Samuel’s down 2024 season was a blip and he can rebound, but it’s still much better to have Samuel as a No. 2 receiving option. Tight end Zach Ertz had a good connection with Daniels last season, but Washington doesn’t want to overextend his role. The running back situation is being made over, with Brian Robinson Jr. traded away and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt on the rise. McLaurin, who had a team-best 82 catches last season, allows everyone to settle into roles better suited for them in the offense. It is also an obvious help to Daniels as he looks to avoid a sophomore slump. And now McLaurin should be good to go for Week 1.
There were many reasons to pay McLaurin: He’s productive, popular and a captain. He represented the franchise well in its worst days and is leading an unexpectedly fast surge that started last season. Washington’s second-year general manager Adam Peters had reasons too for not giving in right away when a player under contract asked for a huge raise, but the standoff was always going to end with McLaurin getting paid. The only question was how much he’d get.
McLaurin will presumably be in the lineup by Week 1. That’s win for everyone involved.
