Terry McLaurin 'Pretty Frustrated' with Commanders Contract Talks amid NFL Rumors

Having been embroiled in a contract standoff with the Washington Commanders throughout the offseason, Terry McLaurin did not provide a positive update on the situation while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

McLaurin explained he is "pretty frustrated" with the state of things, while adding that the two sides haven't talked in more than a month.

McLaurin also described this period as "crunch time" with Commanders veterans scheduled to report to training camp on July 22, and said, "it’s kind of hard to see how I step on the field" without getting a new deal done.

McLaurin initially seemed to be willing to give the Commanders at least some benefit of the doubt while waiting for a new deal. He initially showed up for OTAs before leaving due to frustration with the state of contract talks, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Since that time, McLaurin has been absent from all of Washington's offseason activities. He is subject to more than $104,000 in fines for skipping mandatory minicamp in June.

McLaurin is entering the final season of a three-year, $68.4 million contract signed in July 2022. He is scheduled to earn a $15.5 million base salary in 2025.

In the time since McLaurin signed his previous extension, the market for receivers has increased exponentially. He ranks 17th among all wideouts in average annual salary.

This offseason alone has seen Ja'Marr Chase, DK Metcalf, Garrett Wilson and Tee Higgins get new deals. Wilson is the most recent player to receive a contract, agreeing to a four-year, $130 million extension with the New York Jets on Monday.

McLaurin is at a different point in his career than that group. He will turn 30 years old on Sept. 15. Metcalf is the oldest player among those previously mentioned receivers at 27 years old.

Tyreek Hill is the highest-paid player($30 million annually) among all wide receivers aged 30 or older. Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs and Mike Evans are the only other 30-or-older wideouts making at least $20 million per season.

McLaurin has been incredibly consistent throughout his career, even while not having a stable quarterback situation prior to Jayden Daniels' arrival last season. His fewest receiving yards in a season was 919 in his rookie year. He has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in each of the past five years and caught a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2024.

The Commanders did acquire Deebo Samuel in an offseason trade with the San Francisco 49ers to boost their receiver depth chart, but McLaurin is by far the No. 1 option on the outside.

History suggests the two sides will eventually come to a resolution, though McLaurin's comments indicate it could take awhile before anything happens.