Clock ticking on Terry McLaurin standoff that could take two different turns

Terry McLaurin is still on the physically unable to perform list. Whether his ankle injury is legitimate or not is causing fierce debate among Washington Commanders fans, especially considering the wide receiver is still embroiled in a contract standoff more than three weeks into training camp.

McLaurin, who also skipped voluntary OTAs and mandatory minicamp, hasn't practiced with his teammates for months. We are now three weeks away from the Commanders' regular-season opener, and both sides remain dug in. Not even a trade request from the second-team All-Pro was enough to speed things along.

Everyone has an opinion on how this saga will end. Some believe an extension will eventually get rubber-stamped. Others think McLaurin might have played his last game for the Commanders. That seems inconceivable with the high stakes attached to Washington's fortunes in 2025.

Terry McLaurin must accept changing reality to cement his future with Commanders

Charles Robinson from Yahoo Sports doesn't believe McLaurin being traded is a realistic proposition. He thought the player's importance to the Commanders should eventually result in some middle ground. He was also skeptical about whether another team would be willing to pay the wideout what he's asking for.

That reality at some point will raise the question of whether or not Washington will entertain some kind of trade for a player who is both a captain and clearly the team’s No. 1 wideout. Right now, that seems like an unlikely scenario for two reasons: First, Washington does not want to take McLaurin away from Daniels as the coaching staff and front office wants him to remain a part of the organization's fabric moving forward; and second, there aren’t a wealth of teams in a hurry to pay McLaurin the extension he wants.Charles Robinson

McLaurin has a price in mind, and his representatives are unwilling to come down from their demands. Adam Peters hasn't flinched so far, which is because this contract wouldn't begin until the former third-round pick out of Ohio State was 31 years old.

There have reportedly been calls about McLaurin's availability. They've been knocked back so far, and that'll likely remain the case for as long as this standoff continues. The negatives far outweigh the positives, but that won't stop Peters from holding firm to get the right deal that benefits the franchise.

Relationships are strained. Friction is building, and fans are becoming worried that this is going to have a ripple effect on Washington's quest to go deep into the postseason.

Dan Quinn's done a great job of keeping everyone firmly focused. Still, the underperformance of others in the receiver room over the last week did nothing to diminish the urgency to get this matter solved in a way that works for everybody.

And the sooner that happens, the quicker everyone can move on.

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