The patience of the Washington Commanders coaching staff is growing thin with the standoff between the front office and Terry McLaurin.
On Aug. 2, head coach Dan Quinn said he understood where McLaurin was coming from from a business perspective, but hoped to see a deal come to fruition quickly so he could see his star receiver practicing during the preseason.
Nearly two weeks later, the Commanders and McLaurin aren't close to striking a deal.
Before Friday's practice, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury made his case for why Washington needs the drama to end so it can get the two-time Pro Bowl receiver on the grass and see what kind of offense the Commanders have ahead of the regular season.
"I think that's a work in progress, there's no doubt," Kingsbury said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. "I don't think until we get some of these other pieces back we're going to know exactly what we are. ...
"When you don't have your projected top two outside receivers or both of your projected inside pieces at guard, it's not going to give you really a chance to gel or really build that relationship until you get everybody else on the grass. So that's something we have to get to over the next three weeks."
Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, when asked how the offense is coming together: pic.twitter.com/aVq8uWRIxD
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 15, 2025
McLaurin was quarterback Jayden Daniels' leading receiver in 2024, recording 82 receptions for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns.
With McLaurin holding in, Daniels is losing critical reps with his No. 1 target before Week 1. Kingsbury and his coaching staff are also facing the burden of scheming an offense without McLaurin on the field.
The Commanders have taken long enough to reach a deal with McLaurin; they need to pay the receiver so he can put his best product on the field when the season starts.
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