Joe Theismann urges Commanders to resolve Terry McLaurin contract dispute: 'He needs to be paid right away'

Theismann says Washington losing McLaurin would be a 'major problem'

The standoff between the Washington Commanders and star wide receiver Terry McLaurin continues as the Pro Bowler seeks a long-term deal ahead of the 2025 season. Coming off arguably the best year of his career, McLaurin skipped mandatory minicamp in June, signaling that contract talks remain unresolved as he enters the final year of his current deal. Now, one of the franchise's most iconic voices is speaking out.

Joe Theismann, the former Washington quarterback who led the team to its first Super Bowl title in 1982, urged the Commanders to resolve the situation quickly amid swirling trade rumors.

"That would be a major problem for all of us that appreciate what the Commanders have done, what Terry has done," Theismann said on the Up & Adams Show Tuesday about the possibility of McLaurin departing Washington. "His intangibles and his value to this football team are even more outweighed than his talent, which we know is extreme."

McLaurin is reportedly seeking a contract in the $30 million-per-year range, a figure that would place him among the top earners at the wide receiver position. As the 2025 season approaches, only a handful of receivers -- eight, according to Over The Cap -- are currently making that level of pay or more, underscoring the premium McLaurin and his camp are aiming for in negotiations.

"He needs to be paid," Theismann said. "He needs to be paid right away. We need to put this issue behind us as a football team. He is one of the leaders. And he's a guy that you can always count on. You can always count on him in practice, you can always count on him in a game."

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Drafted out of Ohio State in 2019, McLaurin has posted five consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, a franchise first for Washington.

In 2024, McLaurin caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns, earning his first second-team All-Pro nod and second Pro Bowl selection. His durability is notable, having missed only three games in six seasons, with starts in every game the past four years.

"He's faster than people think," Theismann said. "To me, he sort of fits into that Jerry Rice category, where he's not a burner, he doesn't get all the publicity, he doesn't get all the hype, but he's as good as anybody that plays this game. I would put him up against anybody that plays wide receiver in the National Football League. I don't care who it is. I don't care how fast you are, I don't care how tough you think you are, he encompasses it all. From my perspective, that's a deal that must get done and must get done soon."

Despite playing with 11 different starting quarterbacks since 2019, McLaurin has remained a reliable target, posting a career-high 70.4% catch rate last season.