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Commanders Sign Former Dolphins WR After Terry McLaurin’s Trade Request

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Aug 2, 2025 10:24 AM ET

On Thursday, Washington Commanders All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin officially requested a trade.

The two sides have been unable to find common ground on a new contract, and now McLaurin has had enough and is hoping to be sent elsewhere.

While it remains to be seen which teams will be interested, and if the Commanders bite the bullet and give McLaurin what he wants, the franchise is still making roster moves with the NFL preseason now officially underway.

One day after the McLaurin trade request, the Commanders signed a former Miami Dolphins wide receiver.

Ex-Dolphins WR Comes to Washington

According to Washington DC radio host Grant Paulsen, the Commanders agreed to a deal with Braylon Sanders on Friday. The transaction later popped up on ESPN's NFL transaction list.

Here is a brief rundown of Sanders' career up until this point:

Played college football at Ole Miss from 2017-2021
Undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft
Signed as a UDFA with the Dolphins in 2022, recording two catches for 17 yards
Miami Dolphins practice squad in 2023
New England Patriots practice squad in 2024
Signed with the DC Defenders of the UFL, catching 13 passes for 332 yards and three scores

Sanders was a big part of the Defenders' UFL title run this year, so he gets to stay in DC as he moves back to the NFL.

Staying Home: The Washington #Commanders are signing @XFLDefenders WR Braylon Sanders, per @granthpaulsen.

Sanders was a key piece to DC's #UFL Championship run, with 332 yards & 3 TD's - averaging 25.5 YPC.pic.twitter.com/VFAANHnbyu
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) August 1, 2025

During Sanders' college days, he recorded 1,453 yards and 10 touchdowns in 47 games, but he hasn't found consistent playing time in the NFL, so it will be interesting to see what he can do during the preseason.

What Does the Commanders' WR Room Look Like Without McLaurin?

Truth be told, McLaurin has been the heart and soul of the Commanders' WR room, and that's not up for debate.

He has five straight 1,000-plus-yard seasons and has played in every regular-season game for the past four years.

On the other hand, the Commanders acquired Deebo Samuel in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers and have veterans such as KJ Osborn, Michael Gallup and Noah Brown. They also have Luke McCaffrey and fourth-round rookie Jaylin Lane, so there are a lot of options at the position even if McLaurin is traded.

That means a tough hill to climb for Sanders, although his recent play in the UFL was something to watch.

At worst, Sanders could secure a practice squad spot and be the next man up if an injury takes place.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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