I Don't Like This Terry McLaurin Hold Out Situation AT ALL
Yesterday the Commanders announced they'd be wearing the Super Bowl Era throwbacks in 3 games in this coming up season. They'll probably end up making the throwbacks their full-time jerseys in the 2026 season if I had to guess. So all of Commanders fandom is very happy to see some of the old stuff coming back after the rebrand.
But noticeably missing from the huge announcement is one Terry McLaurin. The man who has been more or less the face of the franchise since he was drafted in 2019. The guy who has put the team and the city on his back time after time after time. Terry has done everything correctly on and off the field and deserves a statue built at the new stadium.
But there's an issue- he's holding out for a biggggg contract, somewhere in the $30 million per year range. And while I've tried not to worry about the deal getting done, I have been on the more the pessimistic side than I'd care to admit. I know players under contract hold out all the time (Terry is in his final year) and things usually work out. But this one feels different. Maybe I'm making it up in my head but for starters, he's from the old regime. He's not an Adam Peters guy. And basically EVERYONE from the old regime is gone. So maybe Adam Peters isn't in the "sign Terry to a $30 million deal because he's been here forever" business. I personally think you can give Terry a little extra because of what he has meant to the city, but I'm not sure Adam Peters agrees. There's also the fact TM turns 30 in September and historically WR production starts dipping on the other side of 30. Again, I have no issue giving him 3 years, $90 million, but I understand if Adam Peters sees it differently.
Which leads us to this morning, when Terry posted some cryptic shit on his IG story:
Does it mean something? Probably! He's clearly frustrated, which should worry you. It doesn't seem like both parties are on the same page at all. And in my opinion, Terry holds most of the leverage. This team does not go to the NFC Championship Game without him. Jayden needs him. The locker room needs him. The fans need him. So yeah, I'm growing increasingly worried by the second about all of this.
The last thing I want is an ESPN notification on my phone that he's been traded to the Raiders or some shit. That would kill me. And what sucks...what really, really, really sucks is I trust Adam Peters with whatever decision he makes. I hate it...but if he decides Terry's demands are too high, I have to trust he knows what he's doing and making the best decision for the betterment of the team. So this entire situation is fucking brutal.
Ultimately I think a deal gets done. I do. But right now I am a bit more worried than I'd like to be.