3 teams the Commanders screwed by extending Terry McLaurin
By Jerry Trotta
If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard, the Washington Commanders signed Terry McLaurin to a three-year extension this week. The contract locks up the standout receiver through the 2025 season, when he’ll have the chance to sign a second lucrative deal (possibly with Washington) as a 31-year-old.
With the news, McLaurin becomes the latest in a long list of star wideouts who inked gargantuan contracts this offseason, including Davante Adams (Raiders), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Tyreek Hill (Dolphins) and AJ Brown (Eagles), among others.
Extending McLaurin was an absolute must for the Commanders. Having the 26-year-old phenom enter 2022 on an expiring contract would’ve opened the door for a potential trade before next season or him leaving in free agency in 2023.
Luckily, we don’t have to worry about that nightmare scenario. For other potential suitors, however, it’s back to the drawing board in their search for a No. 1 wideout. Here are some of the teams Washington screwed by extending McLaurin.
3 teams the Commanders screwed by extending Terry McLaurin
3. Baltimore Ravens
If you (like me) have a soft spot for Lamar Jackson, the Ravens are likely the one team that it wouldn’t have been unbearable to see McLaurin land. After all, Baltimore has done alarmingly little to equip its former MVP with proper weaponry.
As of this writing, Jackson’s top receivers are Rashod Bateman, who admittedly looked like a player last year after he returned from injury, Devin Duvernay, Tylan Wallace and James Proche, neither of whom have more than 10 career starts. That leaves Mark Andrews, the team’s tight end, as Jackson’s go-to target.
That’s a recipe for disaster in the year 2022, when most contenders have three or four capable receivers on their rosters. Look no further than the Buccaneers, Rams, Bengals, Bills and Chiefs’ receiving arsenals. Projected to be equipped with $40.538 million in 2023, it’s reasonable to assume Baltimore would’ve made a strong push for McLaurin in free agency next offseason.
That … is no longer on the table. That’s bad news for Jackson, who lost Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Sammy Watkins this offseason. For Commanders fans, however, it’s another reason to smile about McLaurin’s three-year extension.