The Cleveland Browns are in need of weapons for their full quarterbacks room, and there is one in particular they could choose to target.
The Browns are being connected with disgruntled Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who could be had in a trade before the season.
McLaurin is a two-time Pro Bowler who has had at least 75 catches and 1,000 yards in each of the past five seasons. He has not had fewer than 50 catches or 900 yards in a season in his entire six-season career with Washington.
Yet, with the Commanders’ window to win open, McLaurin is holding out for a contract extension that will pay him as one of the NFL’s top wideouts. FOX reported he is considering a trade request if the two sides can’t come to a contract agreement.
Should The Browns Trade For Terry McLaurin?
Almost every team has been tied to McLaurin, even though the Commanders have stated publicly they have no intention of trading their superstar wideout.
Still, the Browns have draft capital to execute a trade, and the duo of McLaurin and incumbent Jerry Jeudy is an electric possibility, especially for two rookie QBs Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
“If McLaurin becomes available, he would definitely comprise a very intriguing option for the Browns, who have no proven depth behind Jerry Jeudy,” SI on Browns Matthew Schmidt wrote. “A McLaurin-Jeudy duo would be tantalizing, to say the least, and it would make the transition to a rookie quarterback much easier.”
Would Terry McLaurin Welcome A Trade To The Browns?
The question is if McLaurin, who has only played in four playoff games in his career, would accept a deal to a rebuilding club like Cleveland right when Washington looks like a Super Bowl contender.
Schmidt also addressed these reasonable concerns.
“McLaurin is entering the final year of his deal, and he could instantly squash any potential move to Cleveland by informing the Browns that he would not re-sign long term,” Schmidt wrote. “That is a very distinct possibility considering that Cleveland went 3-14 last year and has shown zero signs of being a playoff contender in 2025.
“Second, even if McLaurin would be willing to sign an extension with the Browns, he turns 30 years old in September. Would Cleveland really want to hand $30 million annually to an aging receiver when the franchise is smack dab in the middle of a quasi-rebuild?”
There is also the concern of the salary cap, since Cleveland has just $17 million in cap space, and McLaurin comes with a $25-plus-million cap hit.
The Browns could probably make it work, since Washington would be stuck with an $8-plus-million dead-cap charge that could alleviate the discrepancy and Cleveland could ship out a player to make it work.
But the Browns would be stuck from making any marquee moves throughout the year, which could be an issue if they find themselves in the mix. Cleveland is after all just one year removed from the playoffs, and quarterback Joe Flacco helped it get there in 2023.
