Fair Deal For Commanders and Terry McLaurin?

The Washington Commanders must find common ground with All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a new deal. The 30-year-old receiver is entering the final year of his contract with Washington and has already sat out in a mandatory minicamp to show how serious he was in waiting for a fair price. 

Washington shouldn't make this complex. McLaurin is one of the better receivers in the league and deserves to be paid accordingly. 

Remember, before Jayden Daniels arrived, McLaurin had to deal with one of the most inconsistent quarterback rooms in league history. McLaurin has dealt with several major signal-callers, from Carson Wentz to Sam Howell to the late Dwayne Haskins. 

The fact that he was a consummate professional shows that McLaurin was always a team player. And why the Commanders should look to pay him for that loyalty. 

But what is a fair deal for McLaurin? 

With receiver contracts increasing over many years, an annual value of over $30 million seems to be the cut-off for veterans. Tyreek Hill, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Brandon Aiyuk all make around $30 million per year. 

Could a contract at around $31 million be fair for McLaurin? It certainly seems so. 

However, Washington may not want to give a veteran that kind of money. According to Over The Cap, the Commanders have over $21 million in cap space. Washington may choose to hold onto that cap space and go with a cheaper route at receiver soon. 

That may leave McLaurin as the odd man out. 

Even if it seems almost ludicrous to think about. 

Washington is better when McLaurin is on the field. If they truly want to compete for a Super Bowl, they should meet the receiver's contract demands as closely as possible.