Earlier this week, it became evident that Terry McLaurin isn’t happy with his current contract situation with the Washington Commanders. Heading into the final year of his contract, McLaurin is set to have a cap hit of $25.5 million. Yet, he’ll only actually see $15.5 million in base salary, and after becoming a two-time Pro Bowler, McLaurin wants more dough.
But how much would make McLaurin happy again? After all, he can’t be all that frustrated with the overall direction of the team after reaching the NFC Conference Championship. Plus, the presence of Jayden Daniels gives McLaurin the potential to have several more strong seasons.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer’s latest appearance on 106.7 The Fan, McLaurin could be seeking somewhere closer to $30 million per season on his next contract.
“I don’t think it’s in a great place right now. If you ask me where this is, I think it’s just, sort of, I hate to say normal course of things. But I do think to some degree, these things do get bumpy, and I think they’ve gotten bumpier as the market’s exploded over the last couple of years, with the cap going up as fast as it has.”
Breer went on to state his belief that it would be fair for McLaurin to seek roughly $30 million annually in an extension, not only because McLaurin is coming off his first second-team All-Pro selection but also because that’s just where the market is headed.
McLaurin is coming off five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, and he surely knows his worth. Likewise, even after acquiring Deebo Samuel to be a high-end No. 2 receiver, the Commanders recognize how much McLaurin adds to their team too.
Ultimately, the best solution would be for the Commanders to just bite the bullet and hand McLaurin a respectable extension. Ideally one that is front-loaded, since they know they’ll eventually have to pay their franchise quarterback bigger bucks later on.
