Terry McLaurin trade request: ESPN's Jeremy Fowler gives pessimistic outlook on extension for Washington Commanders WR

The Washington Commanders have high hopes for the 2025 season. However, a key piece of that puzzle is wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who is in the midst of a contract dispute with Washington.

Those negotiations have gone so poorly that Terry McLaurin would go on to request a trade away from the team. That hasn’t happened yet, but as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler explained on Get Up, it’s a difficult situation for both sides right now.

“Scary Terry’s contract situation remains scary,” Jeremy Fowler said. “They have been far apart. I’ll put it this way: He has wanted metrics of the DK Metcalf contract. $32 million. I’m told the Washington Commanders have only been slightly above where he was before, which is $23 million. So, take that gap. That’s $7 or $8 million that they have to bridge.”

McLaurin has played his entire career, going back to 2019, with the Commanders. That’s included going to the Pro Bowl twice in the last three seasons. Last season, one of those Pro Bowl seasons, he was phenomenal with 82 receptions for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. That was a career high in touchdowns.

In 2022, McLaurin signed a three-year, $71 million contract with a $28 million signing bonus. Since then, wide receivers have seen a boost in their contracts. In the case of DK Metcalf, who Fowler suggested is being used as a model, his contract was signed this past offseason for five years and $150 million.

“Washington, I’m told, has gotten some calls about McLaurin,” Fowler said. “There’s some interest league-wide. They have no interest in trading him still. So, this is a classic standoff as we’re about to see.”

CBS Sports recently shared some potential landing spots for McLaurin. Among those spots were the Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers.

Dan Orlovsky rips Commanders for Terry McLaurin contract negotiations, trade request

Another ESPN analyst, Dan Orlovsky, recently shared his own thoughts on the Terry McLaurin and Washington Commanders contract standoff. In them, he was highly critical of Washington for how it has handled the situation.

“Respectfully, Washington, you were a dumpster fire for years. You were a laughing stock. The only good thing about your organization was that young man. Every year, he did it. Year after year after year, for like five or six years, with disaster all around you. He was the only reason why anyone spoke somewhat positively about your organization,” Orlovsky said.

“If you don’t have him, you erase everything that you did last year. Everything that you did. I’m being respectful to Dan Quinn and Adam Peters and what they did last year. You need him.”