Terry McLaurin isn’t just betting on himself; he’s banking on his worth. With no deal in sight, the Commanders’ wideout walked into Ashburn on a swollen ankle and $804,768 lighter, thanks to fines and lost bonuses. “He is such an incredible competitor. That’s fundamentally who he is,” said Dan Quinn, trying to strike the right tone. But the message is clear: McLaurin’s holding in, not out, and the ankle tightrope might be his safest leverage play yet.

McLaurin is reportedly seeking $30–$33 million annually—numbers that would place him 20 Ms shy of Tyreek Hill, put him in a similar bracket to A.J. Brown‘s wage, but ahead of DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. With 6,379 career yards and five 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, Terry McLaurin’s résumé stacks. The team moved him to the active PUP list this week, a procedural shuffle that keeps him in the building, off the field, and very much in contract limbo.

But he’s not budging from his position. Emmy award-winning sports director Scott Abraham was able to have a conversation with the receiver: “I asked him two questions. How close are you to working out a deal? Being at the facility, how does that improve the dialogue? Terry gave me the same answer, ‘taking it day by day.'” So far, that’s four days of practice he’s missed.

The day before, Abraham saw McLaurin and his agent, Buddy Baker, in a conversation during camp. Surely, discussing a scheme to gain more leverage in the current situation. But wait, the fans found McLaurin before the Commanders’ front office could. He was seen handing out autographs during camp.

And when asked why? It was a simple question for McLaurin: “At the end of the day it’s business but I want to show the fans I love them.” And likewise, the city loves him too. One fan on X commented, “If we don’t pay that man, the city will revolt.” Although fans are anxious about McLaurin’s holdout, one person isn’t: Jayden Daniels.

QB1 unconcerned about Terry McLaurin’s holdout

Jayden Daniels found his guy early last season, and he never looked back. Thirteen of his 25 touchdown passes landed in the hands of Terry McLaurin—by far the most scores McLaurin has ever hauled in during a single year. Their chemistry wasn’t just efficient; it was electric. So, when McLaurin staged a training camp holdout, many assumed Daniels might stumble without his go-to weapon. That assumption didn’t last long.

After all this a record-breaking WR-QB duo. When the NFL announced that both Daniels and McLaurin have been named 2025 Pro Bowl starters back in January ’25, it marked the first time Washington sending a quarterback and wide receiver to the Pro Bowl in the same season since Mark Rypien and Gary Clark in 1991. It’s also the franchise’s first time sending two offensive players to the Pro Bowl since 2017. The names may change, but one thing’s clear—this connection has staying power.

Recently, Jayden Daniels commented nonchalantly, “It’s just business in the NFL.” But these are things that could rip a team apart. Is he acting unconcerned… Or is he confident the situation will pan out for the best? After all, the two have been texting each other over the summer. And McLaurin may have slipped something to give Daniel a peace of mind. “Obviously me and Terry have a very good relationship,” Daniels said. “Whenever the time comes and he’s back out there on the field, I don’t feel we’ll miss a beat,” continued Daniels.

Daniels’ reaction hints at McLaurin’s eventual return to the team. HC Dan Quinn hopes that the current situation doesn’t escalate any more than it already has. After all, he has already missed four days of reps with the squad. “I want every player on the field all the time,” he said when asked about Terry’s holdout. Luckily, the Commanders are using the same schemes from last year’s offense. So, if and when McLaurin joins the squad, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to get the ground running again.