Subscribe
Follow Us
One of the big stories of the offseason for the Washington Commanders has been the recent trade request of star wide receiver Terry McLaurin. McLaurin and the Commanders did not see eye to eye on a potential contract extension, which caused the star to make the request earlier this month.
However, trade requests have become an increasingly common negotiating tactic from NFL players in recent years and don't usually indicate a genuine desire to look for greener pastures, and for his part, quarterback Jayden Daniels seems confident that McLaurin will remain in a Washington uniform moving forward.
“Jayden Daniels is very optimistic WR Terry McLaurin will get a deal soon and believes both sides will come to an agreement,” reported NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic on X, formerly Twitter.
Daniels' enthusiasm should provide some comfort for Commanders fans who are hoping the team doesn't lose one of its best players just as their most anticipated season in decades is set to begin.
A critical piece for Washington
While Jayden Daniels' stellar player during his rookie season–which was arguably the best in NFL history–understandably garnered most of the headlines, there's no denying that Terry McLaurin played a huge role in the Commanders' surprising run to the NFC Championship Game a year ago.
McLaurin's unique combination of speed, size, and route-running ability made him a lethal downfield target for a Commanders offense that rapidly opened up its playbook over the course of the season as Daniels continued to develop.
One reason that the Commanders may be hesitant to extend a large offer to McLaurin is his age, as he will turn 30 next month. While they have longer NFL lifespans than running backs, wide receivers have a history of declining relatively quickly as they get into the later years of their career.
Still, McLaurin showed no signs of slowing down last year, and Commanders fans would likely be furious if the team were to take the field without him for their biggest season in recent memory.
In any case, the Commanders will begin the season on September 7 at home against the New York Giants at 1:00 PM ET.
