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In the midst of an explosive offseason at the wide receiver position, another big domino falls. The commanders and Terry McLaurin agreed to a three-year extension on Tuesday, reports ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).
Washington is giving its top target a contract worth up to $71 million, notes Schefter, with a $28 million receiver-high signing bonus (Twitter shortcut). In terms of average annual value, Commanders rose to $23.3 million for fourth-year standout, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The commanders guarantee 76.4% of the contract, according to Schefter, giving the Ohio State graduate long-term security and a chance to make money again in the not-too-distant future. While McLaurin is protected from injury, the signing bonus represents the bulk of his full guarantee. This deal includes a $34.6 million guarantee upon signing Rapoport tweets. That number only ranks 14th among wideouts, but Washington will contribute to that total, with an additional $12.5 million guaranteed in March 2023.
A protracted negotiation that saw McLaurin step down from the team’s off-season activities for weeks – spearheaded by a minicamp absence – resulted in a resolution. This conclusion is sure to have significant implications in the rapidly changing wideout market. AAV-wise, McLaurin, 26, becomes the seventh highest-paid receiver in the NFL. But the former third-round pick’s deal creates a clear rift between No. 7 and No. 8 (DJ Moore, who signed a $20.6 million-a-year contract earlier this offseason). Considering McLaurin, Moore and mike williams (also extended to $20 million AAV this year) both have no Pro Bowl invites on their respective resumes, McLaurin getting that deal is a win.
Agreeing to a three-year deal sees McLaurin signed through the 2025 season. He turns 30 this year. Should Commanders want to move forward with McLaurin in the late 2020s, he could include the back end of his prime in those prospective negotiations. For now, however, another of the 2019 voters has hit a big payday. Debbo Samuel, DK Metcalf and Diontae Johnson will be interested observers. Samuel and Metcalf are aiming for that AJ Brown‘s Eagles deal (four years, $100 million), but McLaurin’s reup numbers are of particular interest to Johnson’s camp.
Talks during minicamp that McLaurin missed didn’t result in a deal, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes (on Twitter) the two parties withdrew somewhat. Tuesday was the breakthrough. Ron Rivera has expressed optimism on a number of occasions this offseason about a McLaurin deal in 2022, and third-year Commanders HC added that the team would not trade their top-flight aerial threat. Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew Hold on to these guns and have an intriguing receiver duo for the long haul. Both McLaurin and first-round wideout Jahan Dotson will be signed by 2025. Dotson can be held until 2026 with a fifth year option.
Washington didn’t get much from Curtis Samuel last season, with injuries interrupting the former Buckeye’s DC debut. But the ex-Panther is also tied to a hefty contract – three years, $34.5 million. The McLaurin and Samuel contracts, along with the team’s Dotson investment, represent a high commitment to the receiver position Carson Wentz‘s first season in Washington. Wentz’s arsenal of weapons from Washington certainly seems to outperform the troops he played with in Indianapolis at depth. Given the injury woes the Eagles struggled with in the second half of Wentz’s tenure in Philadelphia, Washington’s seemingly well-rounded trio presents an interesting opportunity for the 29-year-old passer.
During three McLaurin seasons, Washington struggled to assemble additional aid for his No. 1 weapon. But the 6-foot target continued to produce. McLaurin has averaged more yards per game over the course of his career than Metcalf (67.2) and has streaked 1,000-yard seasons. McLaurin does this with a variety of quarterbacks — from college teammates Dwayne Haskins until the end Alex Smith to Taylor Heinicke – should give commanders confidence that production will continue with Wentz.
