“At the end of the day, I just want clarity, you know what I mean? If they don’t feel like I’m part of their future, then, OK, just tell me that, you know? I’m a grown adult. I can handle hard truths.” Waiting for a new dotted line to sign, Commanders’ WR Terry McLaurin’s frustration is clear. Imagine sprinting full speed toward the finish line, only to watch the bar for what counts as ‘winning’ move just out of reach, set higher for someone jogging in a younger lane. That’s the sensation surrounding McLaurin this summer. After the Jets’ phenom Garett Wilson inked a record-breaking extension, people wondered if that could boost McLaurin’s leverage in his own tense contract standoff. But the reality is more complex than that.

When the Jets locked up Wilson with a blazing four-year, $130 million deal, it was an instant headline. Wilson, just 24 years old, reset the receiver market, slotting 5th just behind CeeDee Lamb ($34 million a year) and DK Metcalf ($33 million a year). Terry McLaurin’s own camp wondered if the Washington veteran would get a similar contract catapult. But as CBS’s Jonathan Jones saw it, youth – and timing – matter more in the NFL currency exchange than Wilson’s headline haul.

Speaking to Chris Hassel, Jones discussed why Garett Wilson’s new deal does nothing to help McLaurin’s camp. “Because Garrett Wilson is five years younger than Terry McLaurin, because Terry McLaurin is 30… Because he’s already gotten his second deal with the commanders. He signed that deal a few years ago. And so that’s what we see right there at the bottom of this graphic. Terry McLaurin, $22.8 million. This is the last year of that contract extension.” Superstar or not, speed and explosiveness are currency, while McLaurin has both in spades, his age becomes the biggest hurdle. For McLaurin, who will turn 30 in September and is entering the final year of a three-year, $68.3 million extension, things are very different when compared to what Garrett Wilson brings to the table.

With three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons before the age of 25, there’s still plenty of runway left in Wilson’s career. The Jets are betting on Wilson’s continued growth and long-term production. Garrett’s $130 million contract locked him in with cost control for his peak years. The distinction is clear, teams prize young stars for their upside and durability. For McLaurin, however, Wilson’s deal doesn’t move the goalposts. Despite his elite production – five straight 1,000 yard seasons, along with 82 catches and 13 TDs just last season – his age complicates the matter. Teams are reluctant to tie up top dollar with receivers around 30, given the risk of physical decline. If McLaurin does get a new deal, Jones noted it could be for a shorter time and might bring him slightly closer to the $30 million a year mark.

In a separate post on X, Jones had also noted that “The Garett Wilson extension doesn’t really affect Terry McLaurin’s situation with the Commanders… From Washington’s viewpoint, the negotiation landscape remains unchanged.” But as the Commanders’ front office seems nowhere close to signing a deal, that leaves McLaurin even more frustrated, and hungry for answers.

Terry McLaurin’s holdout imminent? Dissatisfaction with Commanders

Back in 2022, Terry McLaurin was about to hit free agency after the season. At the time, he decided to hold out from joining the offseason training programs, and it worked. On 6th July 2022, he signed his new $68.3 million deal, and went on to log his career-best numbers in terms of yards. But in this league, it’s not always about what you’ve done, it’s more about what a GM thinks you’ll do next. In that regard, McLaurin got a vote of confidence from GM Adam Peters back in March. “The short answer is we want to make Terry a Commander for a long time.” Peters even doubled down on McLaurin’s leadership skills and noted he has gotten “better and better” over the seasons. As the training camp inches close with no deal in sight, it seems a story similar to the last contract holdout could repeat itself.

 Speaking to reporters recently, McLaurin didn’t hold back on his frustrations. He also noted that he intends to stay with the Commanders if he can help it. “I want to continue my career here. I’ve created my life here. My wife and I have bought our first home here. This is somewhere I’ve always wanted to be. I understand that everything’s a business, but at the same time, I want to put myself in a position where I’m valued and I feel appreciated, and things like that. Unfortunately, that hasn’t transpired the way I wanted it to.” Talking about whether he will attend the training camp or not, McLaurin also noted he hasn’t decided yet. He’s taking things “day by day” to see how it all turns out for him. 

If he does decide to sit out the camp, Jonathan Jones notes that even if McLaurin wanted to hold out, he may not be able to afford it. As Jones puts it, “he can’t really hold out because it’s going to run him about $50,000 per day. That starts to add up really quickly.” But McLaurin feels unappreciated. And being a key weapon for the Commanders, a holdout might just be enough to get him the new deal he’s hoping for. If a new deal does come through in the next few days, how much, and for how long will it be? We’ll just have to wait and see.