Terry McLaurin’s extension cements his rise as Commanders' franchise icon

After months of drama and suspense, the best possible news was delivered to Washington Commanders fans everywhere when star wide receiver Terry McLaurin finally got his contract extension. Something that should cement him as a franchise great along the way.

The two-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro signed a three-year deal worth $96 million that includes a $30 million signing bonus. It ensures he'll be a Commanders player through what's likely to be his entire prime.

Nobody deserves it more, and it begs the question as to just how iconic No. 17 can end up being when it's all said and done.

Commanders might as well start planning Terry McLaurin's Ring of Fame ceremony

It's not often in today's NFL that a star player spends his entire career, or even all of his best years, with one team. Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, and DeAndre Hopkins are only a few recent examples of wide receivers who were traded in the middle of their primes.

Assuming McLaurin plays out his whole extension in Washington, he will have spent a full decade in D.C. By that point, his play will likely be on the decline, and he'll be thinking about how much longer he wants to continue competing in the NFL. As long as the Commanders are playing high-quality football, there's no reason he can't sign a series of cheap, short-term deals until he's ready to hang up his cleats.

In the meantime, quarterback Jayden Daniels will be on his rookie contract throughout the entirety of McLaurin's new deal. Washington has a Super Bowl window to maximize, and the wideout will be a major part of it. As long as the Commanders continue on their upward trajectory, he'll be contributing to competitive playoff squads for years to come.

Depending on how much longer McLaurin can continue stringing together 1,000-yard receiving seasons — as he's done every year of his career except for his 2019 rookie campaign — he could be garnering legitimate Pro Football Hall of Fame talk a handful of years from now. He could go down as Washington's version of Larry Fitzgerald or Mike Evans, a beacon of constant reliability through all of the team's highs and lows. A franchise icon.

McLaurin was a fan-favorite even before Washington's stunning run to the NFC Championship game last season. His status with the organization experienced a little bit of a hiccup over the summer, but now he'll have the opportunity to repair his Commanders' legacy and then some.

Whenever all is said and done, McLaurin will be remembered by the NFL world as a Washington Commander. That should be a thought that helps the entire DMV sleep well at night.

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