Total Pro Sports
With no contract extension in sight, Washington Commanders superstar wide receiver Terry McLaurin has dominated the NFL trade rumor mill this month.
Terry McLaurin is entering the final season of a three-year, $68.364 million extension he signed in the 2022 offseason. The lack of an extension is a bit surprising, considering he was pivotal in Jayden Daniels’ development and the Commanders’ surprise run to the 2024 NFC Championship Game.
If the McLaurin and the Commanders aren’t able to reach an agreement on a new deal, GM Adam Peters may have no choice but to trade his star receiver. You don’t want to risk losing a player of his caliber for nothing in 2026 free agency, after all.
Austin Boyd of Heavy.com proposed a blockbuster trade idea that has Washington trading Terry McLaurin to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2026 second-round pick and tight end Michael Mayer:
“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.”
The Raiders traded for Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith and used the No. 6 pick of 2025 on generational running back prospect Ashton Jeanty. Tight end Brock Bowers is coming off a record-setting rookie season, and veteran Jakobi Meyers is always a threat for 1,000 yards.
Add McLaurin to the mix, and the Raiders would have the pieces to run out a top-five offense that could push them back into the postseason.
McLaurin has been a consistent 1,000-yard receiver in Washington, despite lacking an above-average quarterback before Jayden Daniels’ arrival in 2024. He’s been a loyal teammate and valuable part of their offense, so the Commanders owe it to McLaurin to pay him what he’s worth.
