“I’m pretty frustrated, not going to lie,” Terry McLaurin said, expressing his disappointment over the ongoing contract, especially after the season he just had. The Commanders‘ star wideout delivered the best of his six-year NFL career in 2024, putting up 82 catches, 1,096 yards, and a personal-best 13 touchdowns. He stepped up big in the playoffs, too, with 227 receiving yards and three scores in just three games. All-Pro honors. Pro Bowl nod. Still no new deal.

Now in the final year of his $68 million deal signed in 2022, McLaurin turns 30 this September, and there’s still no resolution. After months of talk, the star wideout has made it clear that he wants an extension that would secure his future into his early-to-mid 30s. And while a two- to three-year extension has been floated since the offseason began, the Commanders kept dragging the deal. It’s been five months with no confirmation.

But here’s the good news. A deal might not be far off. “People I’ve spoken with tell me that they expect a deal will get done sooner rather than later,” said NFL insider Tony Pauline. He added that it won’t be massive, but McLaurin is expected to get a raise for 2025 and a two- to three-year extension for added security. And now that Courtland Sutton finalized his own deal, there’s growing belief it could help jump-start progress on McLaurin’s extension with Washington.

Still, optimism only goes so far because there’s a catch, and it sounds more like bad news. There’s only so much the Commanders seem willing to do. As Pauline noted, “People I’ve spoken with don’t feel the franchise would be willing to go that high.” While referring to McLaurin’s push for $30 million-plus per year, a number that’s testing the team’s comfort zone. The WR is due $19.65 million this season. His cap hit? A hefty $25.5 million. And with those Pro Bowl bonuses, his current deal’s already climbed past $70 million. So sure, they’re not worlds apart. But close enough to sign? Not yet.

But NFL writer Andy Hall thinks McLaurin’s next deal could be worth close to $31 million a year with a three-year, $93 million extension. That makes the possibility of him not getting the number he’s aiming for more frustrating. While the deal remains unsigned, McLaurin was fined $50,000 for each week of missed training camp without approval, an expensive side effect of the contract stalemate. He finally returned to the field on Sunday, easing the nerves of Dan Quinn, GM Adam Peters, and just about everyone else in Washington.

Terry McLaurin’s contract standoff isn’t just about the money

At first glance, Terry McLaurin’s holdout might seem like the usual contract tug-of-war. But head coach Dan Quinn sees it differently. “Sometimes football and business intersect, and this is one of those times,” he said right after McLaurin skipped the minicamp. The veteran receiver had already skipped most of the voluntary offseason work, a signal that he’s not exactly happy with how things are going.

His age could potentially be one reason why things are dragging on. This will be his 30th birthday year, which may be impacting the Commanders’ long-term approach. Unlike most high-profile wide receivers, McLaurin started his pro career at 24, which means he has a narrower prime-time window. This much matters to teams. Take, for example, Tyreek Hill. To this day, he remains the only elite wide receiver to have received a major contract while nearing 30. The Dolphins last year opted to restructure Hill’s contract without adding additional years to it. They paid Hill $90 million over three years, with $54 million fully guaranteed. It’s clear McLaurin desires the same assurance, but for now, Washington isn’t willing to entertain his demands.

If Washington thinks it can afford to play the waiting game with McLaurin, the current receiver room tells a different story. In 2024, he was still the team’s top target-getter with over 117 targets. And there’s no real successor on the roster ready to take over. Deebo Samuel arrived in March 2025 but hadn’t been explosive since 2021. So while the Commanders hesitate, they’re also looking at a wide receiver room built on uncertainty. That only strengthens McLaurin’s case.