Terry McLaurin has requested a trade away from the Washington Commanders as his bitter contract dispute takes yet another twist.
The wide receiver finally returned to training camp on Sunday after missing last week’s unofficial start, with Commanders head coach Dan Quinn admitting he was ‘pumped up’ to see him back in the building.
Yet just as it seemed a breakthrough had been made, McLaurin has now officially asked to leave Washington, according to multiple reports.
He has been seeking improved terms heading into the final 12 months of the three-year, $71million deal he signed with the team back in 2022.
The former Ohio State star – who is viewed as one of the best wide receivers in the league – is paid significantly less than some of his NFL counterparts, with New York Jets star Garrett Wilson recently penning a four-year, $130m deal.
McLaurin has been a mainstay in the Commanders offense since being drafted in 2019 but notably elevated his game last year, despite missing out on the Super Bowl.
Terry McLaurin has officially requested a trade away from the Washington Commanders
As a result, he feels as though he’s done enough to earn a new deal and made that clear as he spoke to press earlier this month .
McLaurin said: ‘I’ve been pretty frustrated, I’m not going to lie. Everything that has transpired up until this point has been disappointing and frustrating.
‘I want to continue my career here. I’ve created my life here. My wife and I bought our first home here. This has been somewhere I’ve always wanted to be’.
He later added: ‘Without any progressive discussions, it’s hard to see me stepping on the field.’
Quinn confirmed on Sunday that McLaurin returned to training camp on the physically unable to perform list while dealing with an ankle injury. He also revealed the two of them met up on Saturday.
‘It was great,’ he gushed about his star receiver. ‘I’m really pumped that he’s here.’