Trade proposal sees Raiders take advantage of escalating situation

The schism between the Washington Commanders and wide receiver Terry McLaurin has widened to the point of potentially being irreparable.

With no movement on the front of a contract extension, McLaurin requested a trade from the Commanders on Thursday. It is a big blow to Washington’s hopes of building off of last season, where they rode rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to the NFC Conference Championship Game. Coming off his second straight Pro Bowl appearance and fifth-straight 1,000-yard campaign, McLaurin is hoping to cash in on his success, whether it’s Washington or somewhere else.

This should surely attract the Las Vegas Raiders in some capacity, and one analyst is confident that they have a trade proposal that can get McLaurin to Sin City.

McLaurin would help elevate the new-look Raiders offense even further.

In a list of trade destinations for McLaurin, For The Win’s Cory Woodruff proposed that the Raiders send over their second and sixth-round picks in 2026 to the Commanders in exchange for the veteran receiver.

“The Raiders have one of the thinnest receiver rooms in the NFL, and adding a star like McLaurin to that group would be huge for new quarterback Geno Smith. Las Vegas clearly wants to win now, so getting somebody like McLaurin on the roster would be paramount to making that happen,” wrote Woodruff.

”Perhaps the Raiders would just throw caution to the wind and send a high draft pick Washington’s way for a player who would instantly raise the team’s 2025 floor. The Raiders have the financial flexibility to get a deal done with McLaurin. We know Smith would absolutely love this.”

There is some risk with bringing in McLaurin, as is the case with any trade, but the Raiders would benefit from his presence more than most teams.

Behind Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers, the receiving options are largely unproven. 2023 draft picks such as Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer are still working to prove their worth to the new Raiders regime, possibly putting pressure on rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. to produce right away. Adding McLaurin would reduce that risk dramatically, allowing offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to feel more confident in attacking opposing defenses through the air.

The Raiders will face stern competition for McLaurin if they throw their hat in the ring, but the Commanders have now given them the green light to do so.