As Terry McLaurin shifts from holdout to hold-in, Commanders' roster designation gives a clue

Yahoo

5 days ago

ASHBURN, Va. — As the Washington Commanders kicked off their fourth practice of training camp, a familiar face was back in the building.
Pro Bowl receiver Terry McLaurin reported to training camp Saturday after skipping spring practices including mandatory minicamp and the first week of training camp.
McLaurin did not return to practice Sunday, instead landing on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with an ankle injury after his Saturday physical examination.
'I got a chance to sit [with him] yesterday, which I was glad,' head coach Dan Quinn told Yahoo Sports on Sunday. 'He was in a very strong head space. In a good way.'
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McLaurin was holding out ahead of his seventh season in Washington, the final season remaining on his second career contract. Now, he's holding 'in' with what the Commanders are describing as rehabilitation for his ankle.
McLaurin has caught 460 catches for 6,379 yards and 38 touchdowns since Washington selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
He's coming off the highest-scoring season of his career, McLaurin finding the end zone 13 times on 82 catches for 1,096 yards during quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie season.
Quinn said McLaurin's ankle bothered him at the end of last season, and it's 'not that uncommon' for an ankle injury to linger.
But McLaurin's designation on the physically unable to perform list rather than injured reserve is notable — most particularly for the flexibility it provides. While PUP designation costs teams a roster spot that injured reserve players do not, the mechanism also allows players to return at any point.
A player who receives a much-anticipated contract extension could, hypothetically, return to practice participation immediately afterward.
'You can come off any time,' Quinn said. 'There's not like, 'Hey you have to be on it for this amount of time.''
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McLaurin can attend meetings and work on rehabilitation exercises with strength and conditioning coaches or athletic trainers. He cannot work with coaches on the field, nor practice in walkthroughs, practices or any 'football activities.'
But once he comes off PUP, he would be cleared to do anything. Any slower timeline would be by choice.
'Most times, teams [decide], 'OK, we're going to start on just individual and then go a little bit of team,'' Quinn said. 'So there's usually a self-imposed ramp up after you come off PUP.
'But there doesn't have to be.'
How much might McLaurin command?
McLaurin signed fan autographs Sunday despite not participating in practice.
His take on the rehabilitation plan amid negotiations?
'It's tough,' McLaurin said. 'But it's the business right now, and just trying to take things day by day.'
With one year left on his second career contract, McLaurin is due $19.65 million cash this year. He spoke recently about his frustration with the lack of an extension, particularly after McLaurin was a bright spot through five years of Washington football without a winning record.
The receiver market has exploded in recent years, with the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase becoming the first receiver awarded a contract that reached $40 million per year in new money. The Minnesota Vikings gave Justin Jefferson a $35 million per year extension last offseason, just before the Dallas Cowboys awarded CeeDee Lamb $34 million per year.
Jefferson's $110 million in guarantees topped the market, Chase's $109.8 million and Lamb's $100 million following suit.
It's unlikely the Commanders view those three as realistic comparisons for McLaurin's next deal.
While McLaurin has averaged 1,118 receiving yards per 17-game season (he joined the league in the good old days of 16), he's older and has been less prolific than the top-earning trio. McLaurin will turn 30 on Sept. 15; Chase is 25 this season while Lamb and Jefferson are 26.
More reasonable comparisons begin with those of McLaurin's 2019 draft classmates, A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf.
The Philadelphia Eagles awarded Brown a three-year extension worth $32 million per year with $90 million guaranteed, while the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks in conjunction with a three-year extension worth $32.99 million per year including $80 million in guarantees.
The Eagles afforded that while paying quarterback Jalen Hurts, among other stars. The Steelers are getting somewhat of a discount from Aaron Rodgers' $10 million paycheck, but they just gave edge rusher T.J. Watt a record-setting contract worth $41 million per year.
The Commanders don't have more than $26 million in salary cap space allocated to any player, thanks in part to Daniels' cost-effective rookie contract.
McLaurin's agent, Buddy Baker, was at the Commanders' facility Sunday.
Will an extension materialize from the visit?
Quinn tried not to focus on the business nor the timelines Sunday, instead lauding the NFC championship berth roster's leading receiver as 'a serious competitor, but a pro's pro.'
Quinn said he viewed the return to the facility, even if under restrictions, was encouraging. He said he does not resent McLaurin's business decisions.
'In that space, what I've learned is give people grace,' Quinn said. 'You don't know a coach, a player who's dealing with what how it's affected you. So my No. 1 goal is man, keep the main thing, the main thing between players and coaches. So it's tricky and it's hard.'
Slightly less difficult after McLaurin's arrival in Ashburn.
'I'm really pumped that he's here, man,' Quinn said. 'He's such an awesome competitor.
'It was great to see him.'