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This offseason has featured a ton of wide receivers getting paid big money, which all started when the Jacksonville Jaguars signed free agent Christian Kirk.
This seemingly set a new bar in the market that happened to coincide with some of the biggest names in the NFL negotiating a new deal, including Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and Stefon Diggs.
While many of the biggest and brightest stars got paid, Terry McLaurin was left in limbo until just last week when he joined the celebration. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the trade, his outlook for fantasy, and how it impacts the Commanders' offense as a whole.
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Terry McLaurin's Contract Details
The Commanders and McLaurin were rumored to be far apart on the total number but were eventually able to negotiate an agreement that satisfied both parties. Let's dig into the details of the extension.
While the initial press release outlined a three-year extension worth up to $70 million, there was more information provided shortly after.
As referenced above, three huge names including Adams, Hill, and Diggs had already signed extensions. Let's see how McLaurin's deal compares.
Contract Comparisons
| Category | Adams | Hill | Diggs | McLaurin |
| # of Years | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Total Amount | $140 Million | $120 Million | $96 Million | $70 Million |
| Annual Average | $28 Million | $30 Million | $24 Million | $23.333 Million |
| Amount Guaranteed | $65.67 Million | $72.2 Million | $70 Million | $53.154 Million |
| % Guaranteed | 47% | 60% | 73% | 76% |
| Potential Out | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 | 2025 |
| Current Age | 29 | 28 | 28 | 26* |
*Will be 27 entering the season
Here you'll find a legend explaining two of the terms displayed in the chart.
Legend
Amount Guaranteed = The amount the player will receive regardless of injury or being cut from the team. This can be impacted by suspension, retirement, or violating team rules.
Potential Out = The first opportunity in the contract that it would be reasonable for the team to cut the player from their roster. This is based on the "dead cap hit" which represents the remaining guaranteed money owed to the player. Also included in the chart is the year of the season the player would be entering at that point. This tends to be indicative of the level of commitment they're receiving from the team.
Length
McLaurin received the shortest deal of the four players, which could be in part because he wants the opportunity to negotiate another extension before he passes his prime years as a receiver. This could also be because the Commanders were willing to pay him a higher annual average if he accepted a shorter term. Regardless of the rationale, he will be a Commander until at least the 2025 offseason with the opportunity to remain there into the 2026 offseason or longer if another contract extension can be negotiated.
Annual Average
This is important for players when comparing themselves to other elite wide receivers and establishing the market as a whole. While McLaurin finds himself at the tail end of this group, it is not by much, which is high praise given the current company. This deal makes him the seventh highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL for the 2022 season, which is reflective of the talent and ability he offers.
Percentage Guaranteed
Here is where McLaurin struck gold. With 76% of his total contract guaranteed, he is the most among the current names and positions himself to ensure he will receive a significant amount of his total contract. While comparable to Diggs, you can see the clear discrepancy between those two versus Hill and Adams, who have much less of their contracts guaranteed. This is usually representative of the confidence the team has in that player to sustain their production and health for the duration of their contract.
Fantasy Football Impact for Terry McLaurin
McLaurin has received over 130 targets resulting in 1,000-plus yards each of the last two seasons. Unfortunately, he's only had four and five touchdowns, respectively, after posting seven in his rookie campaign. His fantasy finishes have also been a bit disappointing, including WR27 in 2019, WR21 in 2020, and WR25 in 2021 in half-PPR scoring.
Much of this can be attributed to the inconsistent quarterback play he's received; however, Carson Wentz may not be the solution. The Commanders seemed determined to acquire an elite option at the position but in the end could not persuade a superstar to join their team. Hopefully, this will be at the top of their priority list entering 2023 unless, of course, Wentz rekindles the magic he found in Philidelphia.
This deal provides long-term security for McLaurin as the alpha in the Commanders' offense, which is beneficial both in redraft and dynasty formats but without a true franchise quarterback, it will be difficult for him to finish as a top-12 wide receiver.
Commanders Offense
This is a massive win for the Commanders and their offense as a whole. This locks down an all-star caliber player at an important position, which will increase their offensive output and help attract big-name free agents in the future.
They will need to continue surrounding McLaurin with additional weapons but this is a huge step toward competing for the division and contending as a playoff team.
Conclusion
Overall, this deal enables the Commanders to retain their best offensive weapon and one of the younger superstar wide receivers in the NFL. Furthermore, it affords McLaurin the opportunity to negotiate an additional extension before passing his prime while being compensated as a top-10 receiver until then.
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