Commanders embrace Terry McLaurin’s return to practice field

ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin’s first day back on the practice field looked a lot like those from the past. He was complimented on his routes, caught a couple of over-the-shoulder throws from quarterback Jayden Daniels and broke down the huddle with his receiving teammates before it began.

“It was like riding a bike,” McLaurin said.

One that could afford a lot more bells and whistles after he agreed Monday to a three-year contract extension. It ended McLaurin’s hold-in and settled the final piece of business for Washington as it prepares for its Sept. 7 season opener versus the visiting New York Giants.

“I know I have a lot of elite ball ahead of me,” McLaurin said.

And unlike for much of the summer, McLaurin wore a jersey and a helmet rather than a hoodie pulled over his head, a welcome change for all involved. He participated in team drills during an hourlong practice. He had not been on the field with the team since the second phase of spring workouts after skipping the final two weeks as well as the mandatory minicamp.

“The way it ended was better than it started,” McLaurin said. “That’s what it’s all about. There’s a deal in place that keeps me here that I’m extremely happy about.”

Coach Dan Quinn gets back his leading receiver from 2024 — when McLaurin registered 82 receptions and a career-high 13 touchdowns to go with 1,096 yards for his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season.

“I love coaching him,” Quinn said. “He is a rare competitor.”

McLaurin agreed to an extension with $44.65 million guaranteed and a $30 million signing bonus. If he plays out the contract, he will earn $87 million with another $9 million available to earn via incentives. But if Washington were to cut McLaurin after the 2026 season, it would save $16 million, though the team would have $18 million of dead cap money.

McLaurin said he was happy with the deal, though it fell short of what was believed to be his asking price — a baseline of $33 million per year with higher guarantees, according to multiple reports and league sources.

“You start out one way and then you hope that it ends the way it ended,” McLaurin said. “It gives me the ability to continue to stay somewhere where I love but also continue to achieve things that allows me to play at a high level and prove that I’m worth what I sign for.”

There were numerous twists and turns this summer for McLaurin. He expressed deep frustration with the process during a 30-minute interview with reporters on July 15. He held out for the first four days of camp, getting fined $50,000 per day. He then held in but was placed on the physically unable to perform list because, the team said, of a lingering ankle issue. He was removed from the PUP list on Aug. 16.

In between, McLaurin requested to be traded, a move the team expected, according to multiple team sources. But McLaurin insisted it was real.

“That wasn’t something that I was doing for just leverage or just to do it or let me cause some hoopla,” McLaurin said. “I tried to be as intentional as possible. Am I perfect? No, I’m not. Are there some things that you think about that you maybe want to handle different or do better? Sure, that’s any situation.”

But it also was clear he wanted to stay in Washington, calling it a place he loved.

“When you have two sides that want to get the deal done that are open to compromise on both ends, that’s when deals get done,” McLaurin said.

McLaurin said he met multiple times with general manager Adam Peters after reporting on July 27.

“We had a lot of cool conversations,” Peters said.

But there was still a roller coaster of emotions, he said.

“You get optimistic, pessimistic, all those different things throughout the process,” Peters explained. “But what we never lost was our love and respect and really admiration for Terry and what he does for us on and off the field.

“You’ve got to do what’s best for the team but also reward someone for being a good player … and don’t lose perspective of what this person means to our locker room, to our team.”

After the agreement was announced Monday, Peters said he heard a commotion coming from outside his office. It was from players celebrating with McLaurin, who said he was mobbed by about 30 teammates coming into the weight room to congratulate him.

“Throughout this entire process, that was the biggest gift that I probably got playing football,” McLaurin said. “That’s what the brotherhood is about. I hope that’s a reflection of the type of team player they feel I am.”

There was little doubt the Commanders were happy to have him back.

“It’s good to have his energy [back],” linebacker Bobby Wagner said.

“He’s so dynamic and such a great player,” center Tyler Biadasz added. “And as a leader of the group, it’s huge.”