It has been yet another thrilling offseason for the Washington Commanders, but we are finally (almost) back to having actual football on the field and in front of our eyes.
The Commanders, who are coming off a successful 2024 season, will aim to prove they are to be taken seriously in the league, entering their second season under Dan Quinn and with potential MVP candidate quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Full padded football is on the horizon with rookies reporting to training camp early on July 18th before the veterans join them on the field on July 22nd.
While anticipation continues to run high, there could be an absence from camp, star wide receiver Terry McLaurin. McLaurin held out of mandatory minicamp as he looked to come to a contract extension agreement with the club. Unfortunately, the two sides didn't reach a deal and are now at an impasse.
With both McLaurin and the front office unable to come to terms on an extension beyond the 2025 season, trade speculation has only begun to heat up over the past couple of weeks. And, according to Sports Illustrated's Mike Kadlick, McLaurin would be quite the fit in Vegas with the Raiders.
Raiders Hit the Jackpot with McLaurin
"Outside of Jakobi Meyers, Vegas' pass-catching core surrounding newly acquired quarterback Geno Smith includes the likes of Tre Tucker, Dont'e Thornton Jr., and rookie Jack Bech. To be frank, that's not good enough—especially when your head coach is 73 years old and looking to win sooner rather than later," wrote Kadlick.
"McLaurin would immediately enter Sin City as the No. 1 option in the Raiders' offense, creating a quality three-headed monster alongside Meyers and tight end Brock Bowers."
A trade with the Raiders would immediately make McLaurin the first guy in the pecking order for veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who the team signed this offseason. As mentioned by Kadlick, outside of perennial superstar tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, Vegas doesn't have much firepower at their skill positions to compete as one of the top offenses in the NFL.
The Raiders are a team with some of the most salary cap at their disposal in the league, and could use that to sign McLaurin to a deal that he is searching for after the trade is completed - something it seems the Commanders are hesitant to pay.
Adding running back Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL Draft was a step in the right direction for the Raiders, but they could take their offense to another level if they were able to figure out a trade that fits what the Commanders want.
All signs point towards McLaurin returning to the Commanders for training camp, whether a deal is in place or not, to remain in Washington. However, he likely won't be a very happy camper out there until a deal is done.
While the speculation continues to buzz as we barrel towards camp, it would be smart of the Commanders' front office to go ahead and figure out a midway point with McLaurin so there are no distractions as they look to make another deep playoff run with Super Bowl aspirations.
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