Terry McLaurin caught in the crossfire of Commanders' increasing obsession

Terry McLaurin is looking to be paid in keeping with some of the league's best wide receivers. Unfortunately for the player, the Washington Commanders are basing their valuation on what he could do for the franchise moving forward.

And according to one respected team insider, the major issue lies in the metrics.

McLaurin has done everything in his power to force the issue. He skipped voluntary OTAs and mandatory minicamp. He held out of training camp before holding in on the physically unable to perform list. He even sent shockwaves through the organization by handing in a trade request.

Commanders' increasing reliance on analytics is working against Terry McLaurin

Adam Peters didn't blink at any stage. The general manager isn't just going to throw endless amounts of cash to McLaurin. He wants a deal that benefits the player of the franchise — something that provides him with some extra leeway in case performance levels regress.

There's been no sign of that as yet, but one doesn't have to look far around the league for examples of wideouts who fall off quickly after getting their third NFL contracts.

It's a complex situation. John Keim from ESPN, citing sources around the league, thought that around $28 million per year could be the eventual compromise. McLaurin is going off D.K. Metcalf's recent deal, but the Commanders' increasing reliance on analytics makes this a real stumbling block.

One league source said he could see the Commanders eventually agreeing to pay $28 million per year -- but would that be enough? According to various reports and multiple sources, DK Metcalf's contract has served as a guide for [Terry] McLaurin -- though whether that's in terms of average per year ($33 million) or total guarantees ($60 million) remains uncertain. The Commanders rely heavily on analytics, and the numbers aren't kind to receivers at that age. According to ESPN Research, over the past five seasons only three receivers 31 years or older have played at least 10 games and averaged 70-plus receiving yards per game; six have averaged 60-plus.John Keim

Keim added that the Commanders are looking to pay McLaurin not based on his previous production, but rather his future outlook. That's probably why the wideout feels disrespected and undervalued during this ongoing saga that has dragged on much longer than fans ever thought possible.

In the real world, past performance would be the biggest factor in getting a new contract or a potential pay increase from an employer. But as we all know, the NFL is an alternate reality, and the Commanders' unwillingness to budge put the onus squarely on McLaurin's camp to back down.

The former third-round pick out of Ohio State was on the sidelines watching this week's team scrimmage. McLaurin also spoke briefly wth Peters, which brought hope that something was imminent. But unless the wideout threatens to sit out in the regular season and lose $850,000 a week in game checks, the Commanders have the upper hand.

That's the bottom line.

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