Commanders Might Not Have Terry McLaurin to Start Season
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Here are key players skipping mandatory minicamp this week
NFL players face fines if they miss mandatory minicamp starting Tuesday. Kirk Cousins, Shemar Stewart and Trey Hendrickson are among those who have missed OTAs. The Bills rewarded three members of the 2022 draft class with new deals this offseason. James Cook, however, was not one of them even though his representatives had discussions with the Bills.”He was obviously huge for us last year,” offensive coordinator Joe Brady said of Cook’s importance to the team. “He’s been a bystander during workouts,” coach Sean McDermott said of McLaurin. “I don’t think he’s going to be a problem for us at this point,” coach Raheem Morris said of the running back. “It’s just a matter of time,” he said of a possible trade for a player who has been linked to the Saints. “We’re going to have to see what happens,” coach Bill O’Brien said of his team’s next step, “but I don’t expect it to be too bad”
Open Extended Reactions
At this point in the NFL offseason, we know most of the big names who have missed OTAs, and (for the most part) what they’re angling for. Some want to get paid, some want a trade, but for some the motives are still a mystery.
Even amid all the tumultuous news, there are still surprising omissions for OTAs that could have a big impact on teams — and potentially lead to fines if the players miss mandatory minicamp starting Tuesday (save for the Chicago Bears, who held their minicamp last week with no holdouts). According to the NFL collective bargaining agreement, players are subject to a $17,462 fine if they miss one day of mandatory minicamp, then a $34,925 fine if they miss a second day. If a player misses the third and final day, the fine is $52,381.
But players are circumventing those fines by showing up for practices and simply not participating.
Here’s the latest our NFL Nation reporters have been hearing about OTA absences and what to expect at minicamp.
Jump to a player:
Cousins | Cook | Hendrickson
Stewart | Parsons | Alexander
Jenkins | Ramsey | Smith | Watt | Metcalf
Reddick | Lattimore | McLaurin | Tunsil
Kirk Cousins, QB
Status: Attended the first day of minicamp
Cousins wants to be a starting quarterback this season. That isn’t going to happen in Atlanta, where Michael Penix Jr. replaced him as the starter last season.
Cousins’ preference is to be released, but the Falcons won’t do that. He’s owed $27.5 million in 2025 whether he’s on the roster or cut, and the organization would rather have him as a backup than be saddled with dead money. Atlanta would love to explore a trade, but only if another team picks up a significant chunk of that guaranteed money, which includes a $10 million bonus in 2026. Cousins also has a no-trade clause.
After being around for a few days during the early spring offseason program, Cousins was not present for practice during voluntary offseason team activities, but he did show up Tuesday.
Head coach Raheem Morris does not expect the veteran quarterback’s situation to be an issue for Penix. — Marc Raimondi
James Cook, RB
Status: Attended the first day of minicamp
The Bills rewarded three members of the 2022 draft class — WR Khalil Shakir, LB Terrel Bernard and CB Christian Benford — with new deals this offseason. Cook, however, was not one of them even though his representatives had discussions with the Bills. The two sides were not close as he enters the fourth and final year of his contract.
Cook, 25, is coming off the best season of his career — 1,009 rushing yards,16 touchdowns on the ground (tied for the league high) — and the team has acknowledged his importance. “He was obviously huge for us last year,” offensive coordinator Joe Brady said.
Coach Sean McDermott said he anticipates Cook practicing in the minicamp sessions “as far as I know at this point.” — Alaina Getzenberg
Trey Hendrickson, DE
Status: Holding out of minicamp; sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The All-Pro edge rusher did not participate in any of the team’s voluntary workouts as he seeks a new contract ahead of the season. The 30-year-old said he had no intention of playing on the final year of his current contract. He is seeking a long-term deal with guaranteed money, while he said the team is eyeing a short-term contract.
Hendrickson received a text from coach Zac Taylor reminding him about the fine schedule for players who skip minicamp, which triggered Hendrickson’s media tour during offseason workouts.
Hendrickson had been granted permission to seek trade offers.
Shemar Stewart, DE
Status: Left minicamp on Thursday as contract dispute lingers
Stewart, the 17th overall pick in this year’s draft, has yet to sign his rookie contract or participate in offseason workouts. According to a source, the dispute centers on language in the contract that could potentially void future guaranteed money.
Throughout workouts, Stewart has been a bystander during drills, often standing near the defensive line. However, the Texas A&M product was not present when the team worked out inside Paycor Stadium on Thursday morning.
Earlier in the week, Stewart said the team was more concerned with winning arguments instead of games and said he was “100% percent right” in seeking contract language standard to previous Bengals draft picks. — Ben Baby
play 0:45 Why T.J. Watt is not attending Steelers mandatory minicamp Brooke Pryor reports on Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt not attending mandatory minicamp as he pursues a new contract.
Micah Parsons, Edge
Status: Attended minicamp Tuesday, didn’t practice
Parsons was in attendance Tuesday, but he did not do any on-field work. He said he had a tight back, and if it feels better Wednesday he would do some stuff on the field. He spoke with Jerry Jones for about 30 minutes during the practice but said it was not about the contract. He said he’s just waiting for Jones to make the next move in the talks and hopes something can get done before training camp.
Although he said he would be in Oxnard for training camp, he was noncommittal about whether he would actually practice without a contract. — Todd Archer
Jaire Alexander, CB
Status: Is getting released
News broke Monday that the Packers plan to release Alexander. Both sides were frustrated when last season ended, with Alexander refusing to comment because he wasn’t sure whether he’d be back with the team and the Packers disappointed that he played in only seven games for a second straight season.
The sides had attempted to come to a revised contract but couldn’t reach a deal, a source said, leading to the Packers’ decision to move on from Alexander before minicamp.
Elgton Jenkins, OL
Status: Reported to minicamp, but didn’t practice
According to sources, Jenkins was OK with the Packers moving him from guard to center but wanted his contract adjusted to protect against the loss of future income (centers are typically paid less than guards). Though the Packers don’t usually renegotiate contracts with two years remaining, as Jenkins has on his deal, perhaps they could offer to guarantee some or all of his remaining money, considering there are no guarantees left on his contract. — Rob Demovsky
Jalen Ramsey, CB
Status: The team is seeking a trade
Ramsey is on his way out of South Florida after just two seasons.
General manager Chris Grier said in April that the team was actively looking to move Ramsey, but the financial ramifications were too great to trade him before June 1. Now that the calendar has turned, a trade might materialize soon.
Ramsey’s absence from minicamp is excused as both sides look to facilitate a trade, according to coach Mike McDaniel.
Jonnu Smith, TE
Status: Skipping minicamp
Smith signed a two-year, $8.4 million deal with Miami last offseason and turned in the best statistical season by a Dolphins tight end in history (88 receptions, 884 yards, 8 TDs). Now he’s looking for a pay increase, and although Miami briefly entertained a trade, that looks unlikely to happen.
Unlike with Ramsey, Smith’s absence is not excused. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Status: Skipping minicamp, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
One of the league’s premier pass rushers and the Steelers are working on an extension as he enters the final year of his contract.
Though he hasn’t talked publicly since the end of the season, Watt appeared to telegraph that negotiations aren’t going to his liking when he posted a picture to his Instagram story holding up a peace sign in a Steelers jersey. With Cleveland’s Myles Garrett signing a record $40 million-a-year extension earlier this offseason, Watt’s price seemingly keeps going up.
DK Metcalf, WR
Status: Attending minicamp
Although he attended more than half of the first two offseason workout phases, new Steelers receiver Metcalf wasn’t spotted at any of the team’s OTA practices. That is not the case at minicamp with Aaron Rodgers now in the fold. — Brooke Pryor
Status: Skipped OTAs, but participated in the first day of minicamp
Given his extended holdout with the New York Jets last year, Reddick’s lack of participation in Buccaneers OTAs raised some eyebrows. The team didn’t express concern, as head coach Todd Bowles said he kept tabs on Reddick through position coach Larry Foote.
Worried Bucs fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Reddick practiced. — Jenna Laine
Marshon Lattimore, CB
Status: Participating in minicamp
Washington acquired Lattimore in a midseason trade with New Orleans, but a hamstring injury limited him to two regular-season games (and all three playoff games) with the Commanders.
Terry McLaurin, WR
Status: Holding out of minicamp
McLaurin, coming off his most productive season — with 82 receptions, 1,096 yards and a career-best 13 touchdowns (one fewer than he had the previous three years combined) — is entering the final year of his contract. The two sides have been discussing an extension but have not struck a deal.
McLaurin skipped voluntary sessions as well as the mandatory minicamp in 2022 before signing a three-year extension.
He had been attending all offseason workouts until the week of May 20.
Coach Dan Quinn is not concerned. “Terry’s had a great offseason,” he said.
Receiver Deebo Samuel, who held out for several days early in the 2022 training camp with San Francisco, said, “I understand the business side of the things, and when he stopped coming, I understand his side of the story.”
Laremy Tunsil, OT
Status: Attending minicamp
Washington acquired Tunsil in a March trade, and he has shown up to some of the voluntary offseason work. But he often missed voluntary work while playing in Houston, so it wasn’t a big surprise that he did not attend Washington’s first OTA practices.
His presence will help, considering he’s with a new group and there’s a good chance he’ll be playing next to Brandon Coleman, who is not only a new teammate but also new to left guard in the NFL.
But Tunsil’s track record of in-season success will alleviate concerns. — John Keim
NFL minicamp overreactions: Bengals in the wrong with first-rounder? Steelers 10-win team with Aaron Rodgers?
The 2025 NFL season is just weeks away with teams getting a final evaluation of their roster. The odds certainly aren’t in Anthony Richardson’s favor of being the starting quarterback. Kirk Cousins will be a backup quarterback in 2025 for the Atlanta Falcons. Terry McLaurin is holding out over a contract dispute, as he’s entering the final year of his contract with the Commanders.. The Bengals appear to be on the cheap side of things again with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, who is at odds with the team over language in his rookie deal, causing him to hold out from minicamp. and the Bengals are trying to avoid future guarantees in the contract, which is unprecedented in the rookie wage scale era. The Browns already have five quarterbacks and Aaron Rodgers is with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so there’s just nowhere for Cousins to start but New Orleans, the Falcons say. The Colts are going to give a top-five pick every opportunity to make the roster, but the Colts have to be healthy first and foremost.
While the NFL will head into the doldrums of the offseason for five weeks before the excitement begins, mandatory minicamp did take center stage. There certainly was no shortage of headlines either with all the holdouts taking place and the quarterback battles going on.
The actual practices won’t have much to break down, yet the storylines off the field were enough to garner overreactions at the conclusion of spring workouts. Which are actually overreactions and which are reality?
Anthony Richardson won’t be Colts starter come Week 1
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
The odds certainly aren’t in Anthony Richardson’s favor of being the starting quarterback to start the season, not after the latest injury that has kept him out of minicamp. Richardson was shut down May 29 after an aggravation to the AC joint in his throwing shoulder — the same one that required season-ending surgery in 2023.
Daniel Jones has been taking the first-team reps in minicamp and has been throwing well, but the Colts are going to give a top-five pick every opportunity to make the roster. Richardson hasn’t performed well, but health has been his biggest deterrent since entering the league. If Richardson is healthy, he has the opportunity to start Week 1 — and likely will begin the season as the starter.
Jones will get the chance to start if Richardson struggles, but Richardson has to be healthy first and foremost. That’s not a given right now.
The Bengals are wrong in the Shemar Stewart negotiations
Overreaction or reality: Reality
Whatever the Bengals are doing with a first-round draft pick in an era where the rookie wage scale exists is unprofessional. Cincinnati and Shemar Stewart are at odds over interpretation of language in the contract that could affect Stewart’s guaranteed money in his rookie deal, causing the first-round pick to hold out from minicamp.
Essentially the Bengals are trying to avoid future guarantees in the contract, which is unprecedented in the rookie wage scale era. Stewart also refused to sign a practice waiver, which would have protected him against any injury if he practiced. The Bengals have altered language with first-round picks Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims, and are trying to do it again with Stewart.
Stewart is in the right by wanting the guaranteed money he could earn, which was part of the rookie wage scale. The Bengals appear to be on the cheap side of things again.
Re-enter the NFL Draft? How Shemar Stewart could use CBA loophole to create nightmare situation for Bengals John Breech
Kirk Cousins will be a backup quarterback in 2025
Overreaction or reality: Reality
Kirk Cousins reported to Falcons mandatory minicamp after Atlanta couldn’t find a trade partner for him. While Cousins is “moving forward” as the backup quarterback to Michael Penix Jr., that may be his role for all of 2025. The Falcons could release Cousins, but they would have $50 million in dead money and a $10 million cap hit if Cousins were released.
If Cousins isn’t in Atlanta, where would he start? The best option would be the Saints, but the Falcons certainly wouldn’t trade him to a division rival. The Browns already have five quarterbacks and Aaron Rodgers is with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There’s just nowhere for Cousins to start but New Orleans. The Falcons simply aren’t releasing him at this stage in the game.
Commanders will not have Terry McLaurin on roster at start of season
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
Terry McLaurin is holding out over a contract dispute, as he’s entering the final year of his contract. Due a significant raise, McLaurin currently has a base salary of $15.5 million with a cap hit of $25.5 million — the final year of a three-year, $68.4 million deal.
This is typical business between McLaurin and the Commanders, as both sides went through a similar situation prior to McLaurin’s last extension. The Commanders don’t seem too concerned about it, but the market has certainly changed since McLaurin’s last extension.
Is McLaurin worth $30 million a year after coming off a career-high 13 touchdowns? McLaurin finally has a quarterback who can get him the ball consistently and allow him to put up numbers worthy of what a $30 million wide receiver makes. The Commanders would be foolish to let this holdout drag on.
Good chance this holdout ends sooner rather than later.
Travis Hunter should be a full-time player on offense
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
The Jaguars have played Travis Hunter on both sides of the ball in minicamp, giving him reps at wide receiver and cornerback as the first-rounder continues to showcase his ability as a two-way player. While Hunter is looking to prove he can excel at both positions, should he just concentrate on wide receiver as another pass catcher in a promising Jaguars offense?
Jacksonville has an excellent young wideout in Brian Thomas Jr., but Hunter already excels at route running and ball tracking. With Thomas already in place, Hunter will be facing No. 2 cornerbacks often and having the potential to put up big numbers every week. Having Hunter concentrate on one position and excelling would justify his status as the No. 2 pick regardless.
Hunter wants to play both positions and be on the field at all times. As long as he can hold his own and perform well on both sides of the ball, it’s not harming the Jaguars. Jacksonville still would be better putting him at wide receiver full time, as Trevor Lawrence excelling should be first and foremost.
Steelers are a 10-win team with Aaron Rodgers
Overreaction or reality: Reality
Aaron Rodgers took part in the Steelers’ minicamp this week, signing just in time to take place in the most vital portion of the team’s spring workouts. While Rodgers finally put pen to paper last week, it appeared he has been in the Steelers’ plans for a while.
Whether Rodgers is still elite or not is irrelevant; he’s better than any quarterback Pittsburgh had on the roster. The Steelers also have a some playmakers on offense in Jaylen Warren, DK Metcalf and Robert Woods — along with an improving offensive line. Their defense also should be a top-10 unit (and likely will get the T.J. Watt holdout resolved sooner rather than later).
Pittsburgh isn’t elite, but this team is good enough to make the playoffs (the Steelers did make it last year with the Russell Wilson-Justin Fields combination). They should win 10 games with Rodgers at quarterback (if he stays healthy).
Commanders Might Not Have Terry McLaurin to Start Season
Commanders Might Not Have Terry McLaurin to Start Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Washington Commanders star wideout Terry McLurin finally has a star quarterback throwing him the ball, and he’s holding out.Jeff Kerr with CBS Sports offered some NFL minicamp overreactions. Is it an overreaction to say that the Commanders’ star wide out won’t be on the roster in Week 1? Overreaction or reality: Overre reaction or reality? CLICK HERE for all the latest from the NFL with our live updates and news coverage from the league.
Oh, the irony.
Washington Commanders star wideout Terry McLaurin finally has a star quarterback throwing him the ball, and he’s holding out.
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McLaurin was drafted by Washington with the 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He’s had to play through a plethora of subpar starting quarterbacks since then, including names like Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins, Colt McCoy, Alex Smith, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Garrett Gilbert, Carson Wentz and Sam Howell.
But in 2024, he finally got his franchise quarterback, along with a shiny new owner, coach, and basically a new franchise. And after a successful season of 82 catches for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns, he enters the final year of his contract.
And it’s because of that, he wants the security of a new deal. And there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s normal business in the NFL these days.
Jeff Kerr with CBS Sports offered some NFL minicamp overreactions, and the Terry McLaurin situation was one that was discussed. Is it an overreaction to say that the Commanders’ star wideout won’t be on the roster in Week 1?
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Commanders will not have Terry McLaurin on roster at start of season:
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
“Terry McLaurin is holding out over a contract dispute, as he’s entering the final year of his contract. Due a significant raise, McLaurin currently has a base salary of $15.5 million with a cap hit of $25.5 million — the final year of a three-year, $68.4 million deal. This is typical business between McLaurin and the Commanders, as both sides went through a similar situation prior to McLaurin’s last extension. The Commanders don’t seem too concerned about it, but the market has certainly changed since McLaurin’s last extension.”
McLaurin is worth every penny (in today’s NFL) of $30 million per year. And with Daniels working on his economic rookie deal, why would the Commanders not pay their receiver? The Super Bowl window opened wide last season before abruptly shutting in the NFC Championship game against the Eagles.
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But that window is open again if McLaurin is on the field.
Related: Cowboys Ex Update Hits Commanders With More Bad News
Related: Commanders Media Bizarre Criticism of Cowboys Offseason
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Commanders warned not to blow playoff shot by botching Terry McLaurin deal
NFL analyst urges Commanders not to overcomplicate Terry McLaurin’s extension. Wide receiver is supposedly unhappy with how long his new deal is taking. Washington’s mandatory minicamp upcoming, and he has a big decision to make if matter isn’t resolved. The Commanders would be foolish to let this drag on with their Super Bowl window firmly open. He’s an indispensable member of the roster, providing elite-level production and exceptional locker-room leadership, according to Tom Blair from NFL.com. The Ohio State graduate typifies everything good about what the Commanders are trying to build.
Nothing is imminent, and recent reports aren’t especially encouraging. McLaurin is supposedly unhappy with how long his new deal is taking, but it’s a complex situation. With Washington’s mandatory minicamp upcoming, the former third-round pick has a big decision to make if the matter isn’t resolved.
The Commanders cannot make things more complicated than needed. They have a big chance to cement their status among the NFL’s heavyweights next season. Having the team’s best pass-catcher away from practice and disgruntled isn’t a good look. The sooner it gets sorted, the better it’ll be for everyone involved.
NFL analyst urges Commanders not to overcomplicate Terry McLaurin’s extension
This was a sentiment echoed by Tom Blair from NFL.com. He placed McLaurin at No. 4 on his list of players around the league who deserve a salary increase. The analyst also believes the Commanders would be foolish to let this drag on with their Super Bowl window firmly open.
“It might seem like only yesterday that we were talking about Washington needing to pay McLaurin, but it was actually many more days than that; 1,072, to be exact. Three years later, the Commanders would again be foolish not to extend him, but thankfully, they have many more good things going, starting with the total franchise rebirth sparked by Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels. The Commanders need McLaurin to make the most of the window of contention that Daniels flung open.” Tom Blair
He’s not alone. Most concede McLaurin deserves more money. He’s an indispensable member of the roster, providing elite-level production and exceptional locker-room leadership. The Ohio State graduate typifies everything good about what the Commanders are trying to build. That, together with his unrivaled loyalty to the cause, should be rewarded accordingly.
McLaurin’s representatives are trying to force the issue, which is their prerogative. Just what impact (if any) that’ll have on Adam Peters is anyone’s guess, but the general manager knows what he’s doing. He’s also stated how important the second-team All-Pro is to Washington’s plans. It’s a case of when, not if, something gets rubber-stamped.
Nobody is panicking just yet. It’s probably frustrating for McLaurin to sit out — he’s not built for staying on the sidelines. But sometimes, business has to take the front seat.
Everything will work out, even if the timeline is uncertain right now. Peters wants him to stay. McLaurin loves the franchise. The rest is just details.
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