Trade Terry McLaurin: Why Would Commanders Do It?

It sounds far-fetched, but we've seen crazier things this offseason.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 4, 2022

Terry McLaurin has been the best player on the Washington Commanders offense since he entered the league in 2019. And other teams are watching.

Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin

The third-year wideout from Ohio State has flourished in the first part of his NFL career, racking up an average north of 1,000 yards in the first three seasons of his tenure in Washington.

In 2022, he enters the final year of his contract with a lot up in the air regarding his future.

Yes, the Commanders would love to extend him and keep him in Washington long-term. There's likely interest in McLaurin's camp to extend him as well, but as always, both sides need the right price to continue the relationship.

The current free agent market for wide receivers has really helped McLaurin, as it has driven the asking price up.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Christian Kirk to a four-year, $72 million deal. Through four years in the league, Kirk has racked up 2,902 receiving yards. McLaurin has nearly 200 more yards despite playing in only three years in the league.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders signed Davante Adams to a new five-year, $141.25 million contract, an average annual value of $28.25 million. While McLaurin likely won't sniff that level, he'll likely lean closer to that number than Kirk's $13 million AAV.

The Commanders could always use the franchise tag on McLaurin, but we saw how that went with Brandon Scherff, who left for the Jaguars after playing two years on the tag. It's a band-aid for a problem that needs to be addressed.

So, if the Commanders don't feel like they can satisfy McLaurin's contract demands, it might be best to trade him while his value is at its highest to a team like the Atlanta Falcons, who desperately need a receiver, or a team like the New York Jets, the runners-up in the Tyreek Hill sweepstakes. Teams are monitoring McLaurin's availability, but it isn't expected for the Commanders to move on from him.

Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin

However, if the team drafts a receiver with the 11th overall pick in the draft later this month, it might give the Commanders a contingency plan should McLaurin want a contract next season that the team cannot pay up on.

The team just spent $72 million on Jonathan Allen's new contract, and extending Chase Young is on the agenda soon, which could limit how much McLaurin can make. But McLaurin has been the best offensive draft piece for the team in a long time, so an extension for him should be general manager Martin Mayhew's top priority.

But if an extension isn't possible, the Commanders need to get back some decent value in return.

Published Apr 4, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.