ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera expressed optimism that a deal would get done with holdout receiver Terry McLaurin, adding that the team is not going to trade its top wideout just because nothing has been signed yet.
McLaurin missed the first two days of Washington’s mandatory minicamp. He attended workouts earlier in the spring but skipped the voluntary OTA sessions over the past three weeks. McLaurin’s rookie contract expires after the season. He’s seeking a new deal in line with what other top receivers have received this offseason.
Rivera said the team has been talking to McLaurin’s representatives for the past week and that “hopefully it’ll be taken care of in a matter of time. How much time? I don’t know. But it is never contentious, I can promise you that much. We’re feeling pretty good and pretty confident that at some point this will get done.”
That’s why, Rivera said, “We’re not trading Terry … We believe in who Terry is for us and what he can bring to the table.”
After trading for A.J. Brown on the first night of the 2022 NFL draft, the Philadelphia Eagles signed him to a four-year extension worth $25 million per season. The Tennessee Titans had drafted Brown one round ahead of McLaurin in the 2019 draft. McLaurin’s base salary is $2.79 million this season.
Other wide receivers picked in the 2019 draft, such as DK Metcalf and Deebo Samuel, also are seeking contract extensions but took different approaches with their teams’ minicamps last week. Metcalf skipped the Seattle Seahawks‘ mandatory minicamp last week, while Samuel, who requested a trade earlier this offseason, attended the San Francisco 49ers‘ minicamp.
Washington had hoped McLaurin would attend in his role as a team leader, even if he wasn’t going to work out. The Commanders also want him to develop a relationship with new quarterback Carson Wentz, whom he has not yet worked out with on the field.
Washington is scheduled to have a third minicamp practice Thursday. A player who misses all three days of minicamp could be fined a total of $93,085.
Source: www.espn.com