ASHBURN, Va. — As the Washington Commanders filtered into the team facility after practice Sunday, excited to finally escape another oppressively hot day, one emerged from the building, headed out for some time in the sun — literally and figuratively.
Terry McLaurin was back. Kind of. Washington’s star wide receiver ended his holdout and was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle issue, though his quest for a contract upgrade continues. Once fans caught sight of him, they produced easily the largest cheer of the day. As per usual, McLaurin was more than willing to reward their enthusiasm, signing autograph after autograph for more than a half-hour after practice ended.
“Oh man, it’s unbelievable,” McLaurin said of the fan support. “That’s the part that gives you joy. Like, you kind of lose sight of some things sometimes when the business gets involved, but I never lost sight of the way they supported me and the way that I pour into them and the way they pour it in me. So, end the day, it’s business, but it has nothing to do with them, and any chance I could come out here — do what I got to do in [the facility] — but come out and show them my support and how much I love them, I’ll always do that.”
McLaurin, 29, is in the final year of a three-year, $68.3 million deal that places him 17th among wide receivers in terms of average annual value. He had held out the first four days of camp, shortly after he expressed frustration with the lack of progress on a new deal.
There’s a thought that “holding in” might be more effective than holding out, and perhaps every signature, every McLaurin No. 17 jersey in the crowd, and every “Terry” chant from the fans– who were in attendance for the first time this training camp — adds to that. McLaurin’s agent, Buddy Baker, was in attendance, too. Ownership and the front office know how popular and how important McLaurin is — general manager Adam Peters has said all the right things — but seeing it and feeling adds an entire new level, as hundreds of children clamored for autographs.
Holding in is certainly less expensive, too. McLaurin missed out on over $800,000 alone this offseason: $500,000 for not earning his workout bonus, $200,000 in fines for missing four days of training camp and $104,768 in fines for missing three days of minicamp.
“It was great [to have McLaurin back], and we’re really pumped he’s here,” coach Dan Quinn said before practice. “He’s such an awesome competitor. We had the chance to spend some time together yesterday, so, yeah, great to see.”
McLaurin echoed the sentiment in the short, impromptu media session — only about a minute long — as he walked back into the facility after signing each and every autograph he could.
“It feels good to be around my teammates and around my fans,” he said. “I can’t beat that at all. They show me a lot of love and support, and I just try to give that back, not just on the field but off the field.”
Sunday was certainly a good step between the team and the player — if a strategic one by McLaurin — but it’s certainly not over the finish line. McLaurin still very much wants a new deal and previously expressed that “without any progress in discussions, it’s kind of hard to see how I step on the field.”
McLaurin’s extension has proved — and may continue to prove — a tricky one. He comes off a season in which he caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards with a franchise-record 13 touchdowns. But he also turns 30 on Sept. 15. Of the 16 wide receivers making more per year, only two — Tyreek Hill and Calvin Ridley — signed those contracts when they were older than 27.
Washington, coming off a 12-5 season and its first NFC Championship Game appearance since the 1991 season, has made win-now moves this offseason, acquiring Laremy Tunsil (30 years old) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (29). It acquired Marshon Lattimore (29) at the 2024 trade deadline. It is rightly trying to surround reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels with as much talent as it can, and one look at Washington’s unproven wide receiver depth chart outside Samuel only adds to the idea that getting McLaurin back in the fold is of paramount importance.
McLaurin expressed feeling he deserves to be next in line, as do his teammates. Peters feels that way, too. But reaching a solution is more difficult and nuanced than “Everyone wants Terry here.” Until a deal is reached, McLaurin’s presence will represent a sense of urgency — and perhaps make a statement that his contract situation can’t go unnoticed, can’t be swept aside or under the rug.
As McLaurin approached the team facility, he got asked one last question: Why did he choose to report today?
“Um … you know …” he said, pondering how to answer effectively yet shrewdly. “I’m here!”
And with that, he jogged inside.
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Author: Zachary Pereles
July 27, 2025 | 1:01 pm
