Terry McLaurin signs new deal with Commanders: Why this was always the endgame for wide receiver in Washington

Monday brought a splashy headline related to NFL contract talks, with the Washington Commanders securing wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a three-year, $96 million extension. Certainly the deal is notable on a number of levels.

First, it resolves a months-long standoff between McLaurin and the Commanders, which escalated to a trade request this summer. Second, it satisfies McLaurin's long-reported desire for a true pay raise, making the Pro Bowler one of the league's six highest-paid pass catchers going into the 2025 campaign. Third, it eases any worries from Washington fans about the club's playoff-caliber roster losing one of its most trustworthy playmakers just as young quarterback Jayden Daniels storms the rest of the NFL.

Dramatic as it is, however, the McLaurin deal should