Was Commanders' Terry McLaurin serious about trade request amid contract talks?

Before the Washington Commanders and wide receiver Terry McLaurin agreed to a three-year contract extension coming off the final weekend of preseason play, the 29-year-old requested a trade on July 31.

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, McLaurin insisted he was serious about finding a new NFL home if Washington wasn't willing to give him a significant pay raise. 

"Full transparency," McLaurin said about the situation, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. "I told the front office this as well. [Asking for a trade] wasn’t something that I was doing for just like a leverage point or just to do it or let me cause some hoopla. I try to be as intentional as possible. Am I perfect? No, I’m not. Are there some things that you know you think about, that you maybe want to handle different or do better? Sure. That’s any situation. But the most important part is the communication. …The way it ended was better than it started."

There was never any indication that the Commanders came close to trading their top receiver ahead of quarterback Jayden Daniels' second pro season. ESPN stats show that McLaurin finished the 2024 campaign with a team-high 117 targets. He was second in the league with 13 touchdown catches, tied for 19th with 82 receptions and 15th with 1,096 receiving yards. 

That said, Commanders general manager Adam Peters hinted on Wednesday that he became eager to have a happy McLaurin back on the practice field as the team began preparing for its Week 1 matchup against the New York Giants.

"Deadlines kind of prompt action a lot of times," Peters explained. "An important thing to know and realize is we wanted to do this. We wanted to do an extension with Terry. We didn’t have to; he’s going in the last year of his contract. He is (nearly) 30. But we wanted to do that because we believe in him, and we believe that he can play into his 30s based on what he’s shown us, how durable he’s been, how hard he works, how well he takes care of his body."

According to ESPN's John Keim, McLaurin's extension includes $44.65M guaranteed and a $30M signing bonus. The Commanders would save $16M if they cut McLaurin after the 2026 season, but Peters is punting such conversations down the road. 

"It’s a three-year extension," Peters added. "So, he’s under contract for four years, and I don’t think anybody up here or in that locker room would be surprised if he plays all four of those." 

For now, McLaurin will focus on getting his body right for the Sept. 7 showdown with the Giants.