New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots have quite a battle brewing at their wide receiver position currently. And yet, they are still believed to be keeping tabs on potential options at this spot should someone they are interested in become available.
Across the league, the top option at this position is disgruntled Washington Commanders star Terry McLaurin. With the talented pass-catcher not getting the contract he’s looking for from his longtime team, he requested a trade early in training camp.
The chances of McLaurin actually getting traded are low, but in the event the Commanders actually decide to explore moving him, the Patriots are keeping tabs on the situation, as they have the draft capital and cap space to make a trade here.
And yet, the already small chances of a McLaurin trade took a hit on Saturday morning. Washington announced that it had activated McLaurin from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform List, indicating that it could be closing in on a new deal.
“We have activated WR Terry McLaurin off the Active/Physically Unable to Perform List,” the Commanders shared in a post on X.
Reports suggest that there is still serious ground for the two sides to cover before pen is put to paper, but this is the first sign of progress towards a resolution. This is bad news for the Patriots, simply because it decreases the likelihood of a trade involving McLaurin.
Since getting selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, McLaurin has been one of the most consistent wide receivers in the league. In 2024, he caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns, earning a spot on the All-Pro Second Team and the second Pro Bowl selection of his career.
While New England has a plethora of wide receivers at their disposal, none of them have the ceiling that McLaurin possesses. Based on this development, though, fans shouldn’t be getting their hopes up for a potential trade involving the Commanders’ No. 1 wideout.
