Courtland Sutton just bolstered Commanders' position in Terry McLaurin standoff

Terry McLaurin might be back in the facility, but a new extension with the Washington Commanders seems like a long way off right now. And a notable development around the league only makes the water murkier.

McLaurin wants to be paid among the league's best. The Commanders have a price in mind, which is reportedly way off his demands. Fans are hoping that some middle ground can be reached, but it's a waiting game until further notice.

Adam Schefter from ESPN caused a stir by claiming McLaurin might be looking for "considerably more" than the $33 million per season that D.K. Metcalf received from the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's opinion, not fact, albeit with potential agent influence. But the consensus suggests he's seeking north of $30 million per year after giving so much to the organization.

Courtland Sutton deal strengthens Commanders' position during Terry McLaurin talks

Reaching a compromise is proving difficult. And McLaurin's task to get paid what he wants could have been damaged by the deal struck between the Denver Broncos and Courtland Sutton.

The Broncos got their pass-catcher tied down to a four-year, $92 million deal. Much will depend on the guarantees, which are reported at $41 million, but this represents around $23 million per season at the very most for a player who'll be 30 years old in October.

Let's get something straight first. McLaurin is a better player than Sutton. He's accomplished much more throughout his career, despite having to deal with a constant stream of subpar quarterbacks before Jayden Daniels' arrival. His influence on and off the field in Washington is immeasurable, and he deserves to be paid accordingly.

However, he is 30 years old in September. And if Sutton's deal is the going rate for wideouts of a similar age, it's not hard to see why little progress is being made during talks.

Adam Peters wants McLaurin to sign a deal that can hopefully make him a Washington player for his entire career. He also knows the potential drop-off on third contracts at the receiver spot. The two-time Pro Bowler hasn't displayed any of these signs yet, so it'll be interesting to see if Sutton's deal makes everyone think twice.

McLaurin deserves more than $23 million per year. Somewhere in the $28-30 million range might be feasible, but nobody knows the true lay of the land aside from those involved.

This is a frustrating distraction. McLaurin came back for the fans, his teammates, and to avoid getting fined $50,000 per day. But in terms of his relationship with Peters and the front office, things remain precarious.

Whether Sutton's deal speeds things up or not is debatable. But don't bet on it.

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