Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin is not present at mandatory minicamp, as he’s looking to cash in on a new contract. The 26-year-old watched as the wide receivers market was completely reset this offseason, and now, he’s looking to benefit from it.
Tuesday, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said that while McLaurin is not in the building, the team understands what he’s trying to do and believe in him as a football player. Rivera also said that he believes contract talks are “headed in the right direction,” according to ESPN. He pointed out that Washington’s front office began talks with McLaurin earlier than it did with star defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, who inked a four-year, $72 million extension in late July last year.
McLaurin has been one of the best wide receivers in the league over the past few years despite the lackluster quarterback play he’s suffered through in each of his first three NFL seasons. He made an impact in his very first NFL game, catching five passes for 125 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Ohio State product caught seven touchdowns in his rookie campaign, and then built on his success in 2020 with 1,118 yards and four touchdowns on 87 catches.
According to Spotrac’s market value tool, McLaurin could be set to sign a four-year, $84,057,948 deal. That hypothetical AAV of $21 million would rank seventh in the NFL, according to Over The Cap, behind Stefon Diggs, A.J. Brown, Cooper Kupp, DeAndre Hopkins, Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill. Five of those six players signed new deals this offseason.
