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Commanders GM Shares Plans for Terry McLaurin As Contract Extension Talks Start

McLaurin is under contract though the upcoming season.

Brigid Kennedy

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin on Oct 13, 2024.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin on Oct 13, 2024. / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
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The Washington Commanders have begun preliminary extension talks with star wide receiver Terry McLaurin, general manager Adam Peters said at the NFL's owners meetings on Monday, and it would seem they are very keen to keep the wideout around for the foreseeable future.

“We want to make Terry a Commander for a long time,” Peters said.

McLaurin, 29, will enter the final run of his current deal come the fall. And he had yet another strong season last year—1,096 yards across 82 catches and 13 touchdowns—bolstering his case for a lucrative long-term contract, even with the trade for All-Pro WR Deebo Samuel.

“He’s a great Commander,” Peters added, per The Washington Post. “He got better and better as the season went on—not only as a player but as a leader. It was really impressive to see him grow so much. You think of Terry as this pristine, polished player, but then he got even better, so it’s really cool. Everybody can get better, even the great ones. So we’ve had talks with Terry’s representation, and I think—just like any talks we’ll have—those will stay in the house. But it’s been really positive.”

According to The Athletic, the sides have not discussed specific numbers, but "finalizing terms is the common goal." As for a starting point, however, Tee Higgins and DK Metcalf's recent deals may be used as benchmarks.

If an extension is not reached or close to being reached by May, McLaurin could decline to participate in voluntary offseason workouts, which he did in 2022.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.

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