Tension is high for the Commanders with the current chaos with Terry McLaurin’s contract. He had initially skipped training camps, and his holdout cost him nearly $800,000 in fines. He finally returned. However, the team placed on the PUP list due to ankle issues. While the fandom had begun to feel that the situation had finally settled and the star player was back on the roster, suddenly, the situation took a drastic turn. Even his former teammates couldn’t escape the drama.

Things quickly escalated when reports from Pro Football Talk and other sources revealed that McLaurin has formally requested a trade. It is far from settled. His newest teammate, Deebo Samuel, weighed in on the situation with cautious optimism. He made it clear that he’s eager to play alongside McLaurin once the contract situation is sorted out, though he didn’t want to wade too deep into the business side.

“I’m more than excited. I’ve been there, so I don’t get too much into it with, like, all that. But eventually I know he’s going to be out here, and, me and Terry came in the same draft class. So I always seen what he was capable of and kept up with him throughout the seven years we’ve been in the league. The way he’s tracked the ball, not even, like, his tracking skills, but when he gets the ball in his hand, too, people only estimate how fast he really is. So I’m just excited for that for sure,” he said.

While Washington is willing to sign up the player, it seems hesitant to hand out a record-breaking deal because of Terry’s age. He has stepped into his 30s. Insider Tony Pauline reports that while a contract could come soon, it likely won’t match the player’s expectations.

If the Washington Commanders drags its feet, it may lose one of their most consistent offensive pieces. For now, McLaurin remains on the roster, but the team must act fast. Currently, the player is on a three-year contract with the Commanders that he signed back in 2022. He is earning $22.8 million per season, which is 18th in the NFL among wideouts. The 29-year-old is due $15.5 million in base salary this season, with $2.8 million guaranteed. And he’s likely aiming for a long-term deal worth over $30 million per year.

McLaurin is crucial for the team. It remains to be seen how the Commanders will react. Samuel has been in a similar situation before.

Deebo Samuel has all the love for his former team San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers dealt the veteran wideout to the Washington Commanders for a modest fifth-round pick. But despite how things ended, Samuel made it clear there’s no bad blood. He even took to social media, saying that he has nothing but love for GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan.

“49ers know where I stand with them, and it’s nothing but love. Love [general manager] John [Lynch] and [coach] Kyle [Shanahan] to death, no bad blood, no way shape or form. They know I’m more than appreciative of everything they done for me as a player and a man nothing but love,” he said.

However, there had been some tension. Samuel wasn’t shy about voicing his frustrations with how he was used in 2024, and the 49ers reportedly had long-standing concerns of their own. The team felt Samuel’s overall production was slipping. On the other end, he struggled with injuries, a bout with pneumonia.

Weight was another elephant in the room. Samuel admitted online that he played last year at 225 pounds, which is 10 pounds over his official listing.  Now in D.C., Samuel gets a clean slate and a fresh opportunity to reclaim his form. And when healthy, he could be a real weapon in Washington’s offense. However, before that, the team must secure the position for their star player McLaurin.