Terry McLaurin was a special receiver when he played for the Ohio State football program. McLaurin was wildly underrated as a recruit coming out of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, and the Buckeyes were able to help him turn into a star performer.
McLaurin was a third-round pick by the Washington Commanders and has turned into their number-one receiver rather quickly. He has had 1,000+ yards receiving in five of his six seasons with Washington, and that is despite having some truly awful quarterback play.
Now, McLaurin is looking for a new contract. He wants to be paid like the number-one receiver he has proven to be. Since the Commanders have not given him one yet, he is not reporting to mandatory minicamp as his agent continues to negotiate with the team.
Former Ohio State football player Terry McLaurin isn't at mandatory minicamp with the Commanders
Right now, McLaurin is heading into the final year of his contract. He will earn $15.5 million this season, but has no long-term contract. He will be in his 30-year-old season this year, so that's when receivers typically start to fall off a bit. McLaurin thinks he can buck that trend.
If McLaurin continues to get some good play from Jayden McDaniels, then he might be able to do just that. Despite not being the biggest receiver, he has been able to put up some of the best numbers in the NFL. His pass-catching isn't the only thing he does well, either.
McLaurin, like all Ohio State Buckeyes who play receiver, is a fantastic run-blocker. He is someone who can seal the edge as running backs get outside, which is a valuable skill to have as a receiver. He wants Washington to recognize that talent and pay him accordingly.
There doesn't seem to be any progress on any contract negotiations right now. McLaurin will likely stay away from the team until this is resolved.