When a player like Terry McLaurin hit pause with his team, other GMs noticed. Phones start buzzing. Cap guys start crunching numbers. Somewhere out there, at least five teams are already sketching out their “just in case” trade calls. Because a guy like this doesn’t stay in limbo for long.

And one of those teams is the San Francisco 49ers. They shipped Deebo Samuel to Washington earlier this offseason. And guess what? That just might’ve cracked the door open for someone like Terry McLaurin. With Brandon Aiyuk working his way back from an ACL tear and Ricky Pearsall turning heads heading into Year 2, San Francisco still needs that vet presence.

Enter McLaurin. He’d fit Kyle Shanahan’s offence like a glove and give Brock Purdy, now locked in on a new deal, a true WR1/WR2 weapon to lean on. They’ve got the cash to do it. With over $42 million in cap space, the Niners could bring in McLaurin without sweating future flexibility.

Then we’ve got the Jets. It just makes sense. Justin Fields and McLaurin already have that Ohio State bond, and pairing him with Garrett Wilson would finally give the Jets a legit one-two punch at wide receiver. Wilson’s been doing it all (three straight 1,000-yard seasons). Imagine what he could do with McLaurin pulling defenders deep and taking the pressure off.

Next up is the Tennessee Titans. With Cam Ward getting the nod as the rookie QB, there are big expectations. The Titans added Calvin Ridley in 2024, and Treylon Burks is still hanging around, but they need a vet. A technician. A guy Ward can lean on when the bullets fly. That could be Terry McLaurin. He wouldn’t just rack up catches. He’d be the guy in Ward’s ear before the snap. Keeping things calm. That’s gold for a rookie QB.

The Titans haven’t seen the playoffs since 2021. And McLaurin? He’s gone over 1,000 yards three times with eight different quarterbacks. That’s not luck, that’s reliability. It’s consistency. He could be the key that unlocks both Ward and this offence.

Now let’s talk Las Vegas Raiders. When your head coach is 73 and your wideouts are Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, and a rookie, urgency becomes the game plan. The Raiders tried for DK Metcalf earlier this year and came up empty. But McLaurin? He might be the answer they didn’t know they needed.

Geno Smith isn’t a superstar, but give him a steady target, and he can cook. That’s where McLaurin fits. He’s averaged nearly 79 catches a year over the last four seasons and finished top 10 in contested catches last season. Pair him with Brock Bowers and Meyers, and suddenly the Raiders look a lot more balanced. And for Geno? It’d be his best WR1 since Seattle.

Finally, we’ve got the New England Patriots. Drake Maye needs steady, reliable targets, and McLaurin brings both. Yes, they signed Stefon Diggs to a three-year deal earlier this offseason. But he’s 31, coming off ACL surgery, and might not be ready to take on a full WR1 load right away.

Behind him? A lot of question marks. Rookie Kyle Williams could use a mentor. Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker flashed last year but weren’t consistent. McLaurin gives them polish. Leadership. Day-one production. Exactly what you want if you’re trying to speed up Maye’s growth and get this offence back on track.

McLaurin fits each of these teams’ offences like a glove. But before we ship him off already in our heads, let’s take a deep dive into McLaurin’s contract situation with the Commanders.

There’s all quiet on McLaurin’s extension front

McLaurin’s contract drama is getting real. And not just for Washington. According to Adam Schefter on The Pat McAfee Show, there’s still “a pretty big gap” between what he wants and what the team’s offering. And so far? Not much progress. He already bailed on OTAs and minicamp, which tells you all you need to know. That’s frustration. Loud and clear. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler even said things could hit a boiling point in “a few weeks” if something doesn’t give. At this rate, other teams are circling. Fast.

McLaurin’s down to his final year on that three-year, $71 million contract. And that $25.5 million cap hit in 2025 is no joke. Washington tagged him again, which feels like their way of saying, ‘Yeah, we want you… but let’s not get too serious just yet.‘ Basically, they’re stalling. And when a team hesitates on a player this consistent? Other front offices start paying attention.

This feels a lot like McLaurin’s 2022 standoff when he waited until July to finally get a deal done. But this time, it’s trickier. Washington’s cap space is tighter, and wide receiver prices are climbing fast (just look at Mike Evans pulling in $24M a year). If they wait too long again, it could end up costing the Commanders a lot, or even cost them McLaurin altogether.

If Washington won’t meet him in the middle, McLaurin starts to look like a smart trade target. And let’s be honest. Teams around the league have seen the numbers: 82 catches, over 1,000 yards, 13 touchdowns, and a Second-Team All-Pro nod in 2024. He’ll change any team’s offence for the good.