The Las Vegas Raiders have some exciting pieces on offense between running back Ashton Jeanty, tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. However, the team still doesn’t have a proven No. 1 wide receiver.
Meyers is a very good No. 2 option, but the Raiders can still upgrade, and there may be an appealing option becoming available. There’s some drama brewing between All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin and the Washington Commanders.
He’s been one of the most consistent wide receivers in the NFL and has five straight seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. The problem for him is that he’s on an expiring contract and believes he’s earned another one.
It’s easy to understand why. He had 1,096 receiving yards last season to go with 13 touchdowns and was named second-team All-Pro. He was a big reason why rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels had so much success.
The Commanders traded for wide receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, who also needs a new contract. They may not have the money to afford a massive McLaurin extension right now.
That’s where the Raiders could come in. The team still has $36 million in salary cap space, so they can afford to pay McLaurin immediately. The only potential problem is that McLaurin is very valuable to the Commanders, so it would cost to land him
A deal that sends a 2026 second-round pick and tight end Michael Mayer to Washington for the star wide receiver could make sense for both sides. The Commanders get a valuable draft pick and a former second-round pick tight end, and the Raiders get a true No. 1 wide receiver.
Commanders & McLaurin Not in a Good Place
The Commanders should be highly motivated to get McLaurin on a new contract. He’s been one of their best players for several years now.
That said, things aren’t looking hopeful at the moment, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
“I don’t think it’s in a great place right now,” Breer told 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C. “If you ask me where this is, and I think it’s just sort of … I hate to say normal course of things, but I do think to some degree these things do get bumpy, and I think they’ve gotten bumpier as the market’s exploded over the last couple of years, with the cap going up as fast as it has. So, if you’re Terry McLaurin, I think you look at it, and you’re saying, ‘don’t even come at me with anything that doesn’t start with a three.'”
McLaurin Could Want $30 Million a Year
Wide receivers are getting paid a lot of money these days, so the $22.78 million a year on average that McLaurin makes is a serious discount. According to Breer, McLaurin is likely seeking to earn more than $30 million per year going forward.
“I think it’s fair of him to ask for something in that range, just based on where the market’s gone,” Breer said. “Obviously, last year, Justin Jefferson gets 35 (million), and CeeDee Lamb gets 34, but I’d say the real comp is probably DK Metcalf, who gets traded to Pittsburgh, and he gets 33 per year on a four-year deal. I think those comps are out there, and I think they will eventually get something done. Terry is too important to what they’ve built there, but sometimes do things get a little messy along the way and I think that’s where we are right now.”
