With contract tensions rising and the Commanders eying a bold swap for Tyreek Hill, Terry McLaurins future in Washington is suddenly uncertain.
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The Washington Commanders are coming off their most successful season in over three decades-no small feat. The quarterback play finally clicked, and one of the biggest reasons for that offensive spark was the steady connection between the new signal-caller and Terry McLaurin.
The chemistry was real, and it translated on the field. Now, all eyes are on whether that connection will continue into 2025-or be cut short by contract drama.
Here’s the reality: McLaurin is entering the final year of his deal, and as training camp ramps up, the team and their star wideout remain at a standstill. And it’s not just a “we’re-still-talking” kind of limbo-it’s the sort of impasse that should have fans concerned.
The NFL may be swimming in cash, but it still finds ways every year to complicate straightforward decisions. General managers hand out oversized contracts to unproven or aging players, then hesitate when dependable stars want market value.
McLaurin’s case feels like a textbook example of that dynamic.
We’re talking about a player who has not missed a single game in four straight seasons. A receiver who’s stacked five consecutive years of over 1,000 yards, despite playing with a quarterback carousel that would make your head spin.
McLaurin has been producing elite numbers with far from elite help under center. So, when a player like that wants to be paid like a top-tier wide receiver-he’s earned it.
Instead of extending their best wideout, Washington appears to be exploring a bold, some might say risky, alternative: a trade for Tyreek Hill. Yes, Tyreek Hill-the former All-Pro speedster who’s coming off a down year with the Dolphins at age 31.
Last season, Hill put up 81 catches for 959 yards and six touchdowns-good numbers, but well below his usual standards. Miami’s passing game didn’t help matters much, with Tua Tagovailoa missing time and the offense struggling to find rhythm during that stretch.
From a cap standpoint, it’s a complicated move. Hill is set to cost Miami $10 million this year, following a $15 million signing bonus, with a hefty $29.9 million number looming next season if he stays in South Florida.
So, if Miami is open to moving him and Washington thinks it can reclaim Hill’s peak production, a trade might look appealing in a win-now context. But is it the right call?
Let’s talk production. Washington threw the ball 525 times last year.
Their wide receivers caught 220 passes on 315 targets for 2,600 yards and 20 touchdowns. Compare that to Miami, which, despite Tagovailoa’s absence for six games, still tossed the ball 591 times-a small uptick from the 561 attempts in 2023.
Even with the QB uncertainty, the Dolphins’ wide receiver group led the league in receiving yards: 3,620 yards and 23 touchdowns on 372 targets. That previous year, with Hill dominating the headlines, he racked up a jaw-dropping 119 catches for 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns.
On name recognition and resume, Hill still holds the edge. That’s reflected in fantasy football circles too-where the average draft positions (ADPs) have Hill going as the 13th wide receiver off the board, with McLaurin sitting down at 22nd.
It makes sense given Hill’s past, but here’s the caveat: McLaurin might be on the brink of his biggest year yet in terms of volume. He could very well lead the league in targets and receptions if he returns to Washington’s offense as the clear WR1.
But here’s the thing about wide receivers changing systems-especially this late in the offseason: the transition isn’t always smooth. NFL chemistry matters.
Timing, spacing, route trees-these aren’t things you replicate overnight. Even for a transcendent talent like Hill, dropping him into a new playbook with new terminology and a new quarterback doesn’t guarantee fireworks.
For Washington, it might make more sense to lock up the guy who already clicks with their signal-caller and understands the system rather than gamble on a high-profile swap.
In the end, it’s about value-not just on paper, but in the locker room and on the field. If Washington believes it can take the next step, it needs to build on the foundation it laid last year.
That starts with keeping its most consistent offensive playmaker happy and on the field. McLaurin isn’t just their WR1-he’s the guy who’s been keeping the offense legitimate while everything else around him changed.
Letting that go now, right when things are building, would be a tough sell.
Whether the front office makes the call to reward McLaurin or roll the dice on Hill, it’s clear that Washington is at a crossroads. They’ve got momentum, they’ve got a core, and they’ve got a fanbase ready to believe again. Locking in their star receiver would be a pretty strong signal they’re all-in on building something that lasts.