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Projecting a contract extension for Terry McLaurin

By Damien Bartonek

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Terry McLaurin #17 of the Washington Football Team takes a moment to collect himself after being hit on the previous play against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 03, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Terry McLaurin #17 of the Washington Football Team takes a moment to collect himself after being hit on the previous play against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 03, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

The short-term contract

From Amari Cooper’s five-year, $100-million-dollar deal, to Tyreek Hill’s three-year, $54-million dollar deal, the WR market has been all over the place. Short-term deals are becoming more and more common for the NFL’s elite pass-catchers, with star wideouts Deandre Hopkins and Cooper Kupp opting to take two and three-year deals, respectively.

So while McLaurin is more likely to take a longer-term deal due to his age and the current status of his career, we shouldn’t fully discount the possibility of a short-term contract if he’s looking to bet on himself and rake in as much dough as he can.

Entering his age-28 season by the time of his new deal, McLaurin has 2-3 seasons left at his utmost peak before *possibly* tailing off towards his mid 30’s. Though his polished route-running and emphasis on technique may slow down that process, if Terry and his agent are looking to cash in immediate checks, considering McLaurin will only make $3.8-million on his rookie deal, the short-term route may be best.

A short term deal for Terry McLaurin looks like this:

  • 2-years, $44 million
  • $38 million guaranteed at signing
  • $22 million AAV

McLaurin’s deal at $22 million on average for two years will likely give him a cap hit in the top 10 of wide receivers over the next two seasons. However, the total cash that he’s bringing in will place him No. 1 in the NFL. For some, the thought of making McLaurin the highest-paid WR is troublesome, but it’s important to know the context inside of the deal.

The NFL salary cap and the way teams can maneuver within it, for a layman like me is both wicked yet exciting. We’ve seen it throughout the years where the cap hit is what you’re truly trying to minimize, so roster bonuses, signing bonuses and other things eat the biggest chunk of the deal to help save money against the cap.

In the case of McLaurin’s short-term deal, it may be a bit tougher to hide from that large cap hit, but it provides instant money for a player that has received so few of it since entering the NFL, while emphatically out-performing the deal. He’ll also have the fifth-highest guaranteed at signing amount in the NFL should he take a deal that resembles this one.

As mentioned earlier, I don’t believe the short-term option is best for McLaurin, as leverage for a new deal at age 30 might make it difficult for him to maximize his profits in the NFL. Remember, every player is one snap away from suffering a serious injury. Despite the limitations of the short-term deal for him and his long-term future in the league, the money he brings in immediately is tough to argue against when this option is on the table.

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