Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera divulges on the trade rumors surrounding star Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
As soon as the news broke that Terry McLaurin was holding out from mandatory minicamp to negotiate a new contract, NFL trade rumors began swirling around the league. McLaurin was imagined as an asset in Kansas City and Green Bay, but it turns out the jersey swaps were a little premature: the Commanders have no interest in shipping off their star receiver.
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera explicitly stated that the team isn’t trading Terry McLaurin.
“We’re trying to get this done…We believe in who Terry is for us and what he can bring to the table,” Rivera said.
Ron Rivera: Washington Commanders want Terry McLaurin amid trade rumors
Ron Rivera clearly wants to factor McLaurin into his 2022 gameplan, but that doesn’t guarantee that general manager Martin Mayhew will heed Rivera’s words.
That being said, improving McLaurin’s contract isn’t much of a stretch: the wideout in top 10 WR conversations has been paid about $3 million for his first three NFL seasons, and he doesn’t stand to break $6 million on his current deal. Getting McLaurin more money shouldn’t be difficult, but the question is how much McLaurin wants on the table.
Going by the top 10 active wide receiver contracts in the NFL, recent Jacksonville Jaguars acquisition Christian Kirk is set to make $72 million over four years, but that’s been widely regarded as an overinflated price for a wideout who quietly played in Arizona before his massive deal.
While McLaurin likely won’t break $20 million a year, the fact that he’s earning a fraction of what rookie Jahan Dotson is set to make — $15 million over 4 years — means that McLaurin is severely underpaid for what he brings to the team. In fact, McLaurin ranks No. 4 in pay among Commanders wide receivers, lagging behind Curtis Samuel, Jahan Dotson and Dyami Brown.
By holding out of minicamp, McLaurin is showing the Commanders exactly what they’re missing if he does leave — even though he hardly makes a dent in their cap space, his presence would leave a gaping hole on their offense.
It makes sense that Rivera is working hard to keep McLaurin, but the multifaceted wideout can’t be blamed for liking posts about playing for Reggie Wayne in Indianapolis.