McLaurin casts doubt on attending Commanders training camp given lack of progress on a new contract

LAUREL, Md. (AP) – A week before veterans arrive for Washington Commanders training camp, top wide receiver Terry McLaurin did not commit to practicing with the rest of the team, expressing frustration over a lack of progress toward a new contract.

McLaurin said Tuesday after taping a local television commercial he wants “things to work out … but at the end of the day, it takes two to tango.”

“I don’t know what happens next,” McLaurin said. “But without any progressive discussions, it’s kind of hard to see how I step on the field.”

What happens next, starting with his attendance at training camp or seeking a trade, is unclear. Instead of building on a dynamic passing connection with Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels, McLaurin skipped mandatory minicamp and some voluntary workouts this spring.

“I’ve been pretty frustrated – I’m not gonna lie,” McLaurin said in his first expansive comments on the contract talks, which became a 30-minute discussion with reporters. “Everything that has transpired to this point has been disappointing and frustrating. I’ve wanted to continue my career here. I’ve created my life here.”

McLaurin, who turns 30 in September, signed a three-year, $68.2 million extension in 2022 under the Commanders’ previous regime. His $23.2 million average annual salary ranks 17th among active wide receivers after the New York Jets agreed with Garrett Wilson on a four-year, $130 million extension Monday. McLaurin’s 2025 base salary is $15.5 million.

He had a career-high 13 touchdowns last season, his fifth in a row surpassing 1,000 yards receiving, on 82 receptions. McLaurin added another three touchdowns and 227 yards on 14 catches in three playoff games as Washington reached the NFC championship game for the first time since 1991.

Instead of that success leading to smooth extension talks, McLaurin said his camp has not heard from the front office in the past month. McLaurin, a 2019 third-round pick out of Ohio State, said his status for training camp and future with the organization are “up in the air.”

That is a twist for someone who had been a face of the franchise before Daniels’ arrival, producing on teams with a rotating cast of suspect QBs. That changed last season as the Commanders won 12 regular-season games with Daniels running the offense.

Only Daniels rivals McLaurin’s popularity among fans and for his locker room leadership.

“I understand that everything is a business, but at the same time, I want to put myself in a position where I’m valued and I feel appreciated and things like that,” McLaurin said. “Unfortunately, that hasn’t transpired the way I wanted it to.”

The Commanders have remained quiet during the protracted negotiations beyond general manager Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn expressing a desire to keep McLaurin around for a long time.

While Wilson is on the verge of 25, McLaurin’s primary comparison may be closer to fellow 2019 draft pick D.K. Metcalf, who is two years younger and signed a $132 million extension with Pittsburgh following an offseason trade from Seattle.

“I think how the market is today, I think it pretty much conveys what guys of my caliber are deserving of,” McLaurin said. “I feel like I fit in that box because of how I’ve always carried myself on and off the field and the value I know I bring to a team.”

The topic of age befuddles McLaurin, who has not missed a game since 2020. He noted that he wasn’t a full-time player until deep into his Ohio State career and that this will only be his seventh NFL season.

“I’m not dismissing (age) completely,” McLaurin said. “There are data points to support that, but how come it’s not OK to say this may be a different case, and based on what he’s proven, showing no signs of deterioration? I feel that should be acknowledged, as well.”