Terry McLaurin contract battle exposing obvious cracks inside Commanders

The latter stages of the Washington Commanders' offseason have been plagued in the worst possible way by the distraction of a contract holdout involving one of their best players.

Terry McLaurin's saga is disappointing for a multitude of reasons, especially for a team looking to capitalize on an NFC Championship game appearance. With the imperative goal that NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels can build off of his meteoric success, it would be ideal to have his star wide receiver on the field.

Reading between the lines, it's obvious that those in the Commanders' locker room are just as frustrated as the fans. Still, everybody has put on their business faces when discussing McLaurin's situation — until now.

The Commanders need Terry McLaurin on the field, and they're running out of patience

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was questioned about McLaurin after Friday's practice, and he made his stance clear: it's time for the two-time Pro Bowler to get to work.

Washington's wide receiver depth behind McLaurin is sub-optimal as it stands, despite the offseason additions of former All-Pro Deebo Samuel Sr. and speedy rookie Jaylin Lane. Veterans such as Michael Gallup, K.J. Osborn, and Chris Moore were unable to capitalize on their opportunities in the Commanders' preseason opener, and the latest reports from practice have not been encouraging for the group.

It's never been clearer: the Commanders need McLaurin. Throughout his career, the Ohio State product has been as dependable as they come. He's eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his past five seasons. He hasn't missed a game since 2020. Last year, in his first campaign with an upper-echelon quarterback throwing him the ball, he caught 13 touchdowns. He was automatic in the red zone and repeatedly stepped up to make plays when Washington needed them.

Even if McLaurin joins his teammates on the field soon, he would be conditioned well enough to perform at a high level to begin the campaign. His standoff has already reached the point at which it is costing his team, at the bare minimum, from a chemistry standpoint. If he ends up missing regular-season games, that's not a great look.

Rightfully, his teammates and coaches are frustrated. They have expectations to meet. They have an NFC Championship game appearance that they're under immense pressure to prove was no fluke. And this senseless distraction is getting in the way.

Regardless of who the finger should be pointed at, enough is enough. And Kingsbury spoke for all of Washington when it comes to McLaurin.

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