Following a banger season, the Commanders roll into 2025 with the bar set sky-high for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and his young QB, Jayden Daniels. The roster got a boost with veteran playmaker Deebo Samuel and promising rookie Jaylin Lane, giving Washington’s receiving corps some real bite. But right now, that bite feels more like a bark—because the offense is limping into the season with more problems than plays.

Terry McLaurin, the heartbeat of the passing game, is still stuck on the PUP list with an ankle injury and a contract holdout. Noah Brown’s recovering from an undisclosed injury, Laremy Tunsil’s out with a leg issue, Sam Cosmi’s rehabbing an ACL tear, and even backup QB Marcus Mariota is hobbling through practice. With so many key pieces missing, Kingsbury’s playbook feels like a song missing its chorus—catchy in theory, but not quite hitting the right notes.

Which makes you wonder: how the Commanders’ OC is tackling so many absences on his offense. Well, turns out, Kingsbury has already lost his patience with key absences on the team’s offense. He recently made his thoughts clear: “We’re kind of at that point where we need to start getting those guys when they’re available out there and gelling and see what we are,” he said.

Terry McLaurin is leading the chorus when it comes to offensive holdouts. The wideout is seeking a contract extension and has been MIA from most of the offseason drills. Besides, the 29-year-old wideout has been dealing with an ankle injury and is currently on the PUP list. Meanwhile, Noah Brown, who’s expected to complement the receiving corps behind McLaurin and Samuel, was heading towards a standout season last year. But his season was interrupted due to a kidney injury.

He was expected to return healthy for the 2025 regular season. He was medically cleared this spring. And yes, he also re-signed with the Commanders. Fast forward to now, and the dark clouds are looming over his head. The courtesy? An undisclosed injury. Adding to the list, Tunsil didn’t participate in Thursday’s (August 14) practice. He’s been dealing with a minor physical issue since the start of the week. Further reports confirmed that Tunsil is suffering from a minor leg injury.

Sam Cosmi, on the other hand, tore his ACL during the Divisional Round of the 2024 season. Fast forward to July 2025, and the Commanders placed him on the PUP list. Last and hopefully least, backup quarterback Marcus Mariota has also been sidelined due to a lower-leg injury. Yes, it adds a dilemma for Coach Dan Quinn in the quarterback room as well.

“You want everybody, as a coach, out on the field during practice, during a game,” Dan Quinn expressed his frustration over the injury concerns. “I also know that’s not reality.” With that being said, the Commanders, and especially Kliff Kingsbury, are expecting the players to return when they are available. As for Terry McLaurin, well, he just got another update on his contract extension.

The Commanders can work out a new deal for Terry McLaurin

Earlier this offseason, the Steelers signed DK Metcalf on a five-year, $150 million contract extension with $60 million in guarantees. On the flip side, the Bengals also secured two of their offensive weapons—Ja’Marr Chase (four-year, $161 million) and Tee Higgins (four-year, $115 million)—on long-term deals. Turns out, these big paychecks set a benchmark in Washington.

Terry McLaurin is the latest receiver in line who is eyeing a big contract extension. The 29-year-old made it clear that he should be paid similarly to the best wideouts in the NFL. Early reports suggest that McLaurin is considering a $30 million per year deal. Well, the Commanders surely appeared surprised by the asking price. But so far, they’ve been willing to meet his demands.

However, if the chatter carries any weight, the Washington team could eventually agree to a $28 million per year deal. It is a bit less than McLaurin’s asking price, sure. But ESPN’s John Kein reported that a league source “said he could see the Commanders eventually agreeing to pay $28 million per year.” If we look at it from both McLaurin and the Commanders’ perspective, then it could be a final deal. The reason?

Well, even though the WR has been holding out, the front office reportedly has a good relationship with McLaurin. During the Burgundy vs. Gold scrimmage turned friendly brawl, McLaurin appeared on the sidelines. He didn’t suit up, sure. But he chatted quietly with GM Adam Peters, fist-bumped his OC before practice, and mingled with his fellow teammates. A good sign amidst a contract dispute. We’ll see when the wideout puts pen to paper.