ESPN Analyst Describes Commanders Not Signing Terry McLaurin As 'The Stupidest Thing' He Has Seen This Offseason

Terry McLaurin was in the DeAndre Hopkins mold for the first few years of his career: reliable Pro Bowl receiver with a conveyor belt of mediocre (or worse) quarterbacks. He finally got a proper QB last year in Jayden Daniels, and the team took off like a rocket.

This development also led Scary Terry to believe that the team should finally start paying him what he’s worth. He’s set to make just under $20 million in 2025, which may have been impressive 10-15 years ago. But not anymore.

Top receivers (and McLaurin is a top receiver, he was named Second-Team All-Pro last year, which means top four at your position) are making over $30 million a year. Some are even making $40 million now.

After all the lean years McLaurin went through, he deserves a raise from this new Washington Commanders regime more than anyone. The negotiations have really frayed the relationship between team and player, however, and McLaurin has officially requested a trade. But that could merely be a negotiating tactic.

Marcus Spears, speaking for many of us on the outside of the situation, remains baffled that the impasse has continued as long as it has.

“It’s one of the stupidest things that I’ve seen this offseason. It just seems like it makes all the sense in the world. Jayden Daniels still on a rookie contract. … When you don’t have to pay your quarterback quarter of a billion dollars, you go ahead and take care of everyone else around him.”