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Daily Slop – 15 Jun 25 – With Commanders on hiatus until training camp, Terry McLaurin’s contract status tops the headlines

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A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff

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Articles

Pro Football Rumors

Commanders Surprised By Difficulties In Terry McLaurin Extension Talks

A team source informed ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler of the surprise at how the situation has arrived at this point (video link). The source confirmed Washington’s desire to keep McLaurin, 29, in the organization for the remainder of his career. To more of an extent than the Commanders expected, however, attaining that goal has proven to be challenging.

Early this offseason, general manager Adam Peters made it clear an extension was high on the team’s to-do list.

In spite of those two factors, it has become increasingly team and player have not made much in the way of progress at the negotiating table. McLaurin is aiming for a third Washington contract, but his absence from spring practices was the first of multiple illustrations of his frustrations.

Yardbarker

Commanders’ Terry McLaurin holds out, history says it’s worthwhile

Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin may discover holding out pays off, but only marginally.

The Commanders veteran didn’t report to mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, becoming an official holdout. McLaurin wants to renegotiate his contract with one year remaining.

McLaurin joins some legendary Washington players who have held out for more money. Most did only marginally better while the most infamous one was a big loss.

Maybe McLaurin hits a payday, but with his 30th birthday approaching in September, the team is reluctant to hand out a long-term deal. General manager Adam Peters worked for San Francisco before taking over Washington last year. The 49ers are known for long contract talks before settling around the opening of training camp. If McLaurin doesn’t sign by minicamp’s end on Wednesday, he’ll likely wait until late July for training camp’s opening, too.

NFL.com

NFL’s top 10 offenses in 2025

By the metric of OFFENSIVE points per game — in which defensive and/or return scores do not count — these were the top-10 units from the 2024 regular season:

  1. Detroit Lions: 32.4 ppg
  2. Buffalo Bills: 29.5
  3. Baltimore Ravens: 29.3
  4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 28.6
  5. Washington Commanders: 28.1
  6. Philadelphia Eagles: 26.7
  7. Green Bay Packers: 26.6
  8. Cincinnati Bengals: 26.4
  9. Minnesota Vikings: 24.2
  10. Los Angeles Chargers: 23.2

So, which teams will fill each of those slots in the coming campaign? Here’s my prediction in countdown order, from 10 to 1.

Rank 4 – Washington Commanders

C.J. Stroud took the league by storm in Year 1 before taking a step back in Year 2. Can Jayden Daniels avoid the sophomore slump that befell his Offensive Rookie of the Year predecessor? That’s the question at hand. And given Washington’s placement in the top half of this ranking, I evidently believe he can.

Why? Well, Stroud’s regression didn’t occur in a vacuum — the foundation fell apart around him, with his offensive line turning into a sieve while his receiving corps was ravaged by injuries. Obviously, Washington can’t magically guard against the latter — frankly, the team is pressing its health luck with oft-injured receiver Deebo Samuel — but the Commanders did work to fortify their O-line this offseason. Oddly, the big-ticket move was acquiring Stroud’s blind-side protector of the last two years, Laremy Tunsil. The trade sent a shockwave through the league, leading to plenty of speculation as to why the left tackle fell out of favor in Houston. Whatever the case, Tunsil just made his fifth Pro Bowl in the past six seasons, posting Pro Football Focus’ fourth-highest pass-blocking grade among OTs. Still just 30 years old, Tunsil should have plenty left in the tank.

And beyond him, Washington’s O-line looks deeper and more talented than the group Houston rolled out last fall. If first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr. proves to be a quick learner, this unit could really take off.

What’s more, Daniels seems to be more simpatico with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury than Stroud was with OC Bobby Slowik, whom the Texans fired in January. Lastly, Jayden boasts something that C.J. doesn’t have: electric running ability. When all else fails, that’s the kind of trump card that can help a young quarterback stay on schedule.

Riggo’s Rag

Commanders insider projects major leap for Jordan Magee in 2025

This was a sentiment echoed by Nicki Jhabvala from The Washington Post during an appearance on 106.7 The Fan. She thought Magee could be in for a massive year based on his early usage and the glowing references from those in positions of power. There is a long way to go, but all signs are pointing up.

“Jordan Magee has the chance to take a huge leap. In part because he played so few defensive snaps last season with injuries and whatnot. And he’s getting a lot of reps because Bobby Wagner doesn’t need these minicamp reps. And he does look more confident out there. I know DQ [Dan Quinn] and Adam Peters have raved about him. They really expect him to take a major leap this year.”

Nicki Jhabvala via 106.7 The Fan

Magee’s size, strength, and athleticism look tailor-made for Quinn and Whitt’s defensive concepts. He’s explosive and instinctive, which is almost a prerequisite for anyone looking to stake a claim in this system. Having experienced figures such as Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu to learn from isn’t the worst situation in the world either.

Riggo’s Rag

Andrew Hawkins claims Commanders have the best quarterback in the NFC

On Thursday, the ex-Cincinnati Bengal and Cleveland Brown joined ESPN’s “Get Up” to discuss several subjects, including Daniels. He was given a true-or-false prompt about whether the Commanders’ signal-caller is the best quarterback in the NFC, and he answered true.

He then elaborated by pointing out that no one thought Washington’s situation was an ideal one for a rookie passer, and the Heisman Trophy winner immediately flipped the script. It’s this often-overlooked detail that makes Daniels’ rookie season all the more special. It’s also why Hawkins and Commanders fans have an extremely convincing argument.

Daniels’ primary competition for this honor would be Jalen Hurts. He has been to two Super Bowls and won one, but the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster is significantly better than Washington’s. Most importantly, he has the best offensive line in the NFL, and a dominant ground game led by Saquon Barkley to take the pressure off.

Riggo’s Rag

Laremy Tunsil hits back at criticism of Commanders OTAs no-show

Tunsil opted to skip OTAs, which is a method he’s adopted in recent years. Although understandable, that didn’t stop Lynnell Willingham of 106.7 The Fan from launching a scathing attack on the blindside enforcer for his perceived lack of commitment.

It’s safe to say Tunsil had an emphatic answer for Willingham. The former first-round pick posted a video on social media showcasing how hard he was working away from the team. It also happened to include the direct quotes used by the reporter.

The not-so-subtle swipe provoked an inevitable frenzy on social media. But the fact that Tunsil showed up for Washington’s mandatory minicamp should put everyone’s fears to rest. If they had any, of course.

Tunsil wasn’t involved much in the team portion of practice. This indicates he wasn’t in the best shape, but it might just be all part of the process.

Podcasts & videos

S Will Harris, DT Johnny Newton & London Fletcher’s on the Money! | Get Loud | Commanders

Locked on Commanders: Dan Quinn’s culture plan is WORKING | Washington Commanders close minicamp strong

NFC East links

Deadspin

New York Giants Redshirting Jaxson Dart Is Smart

Dart is looking to learn by watching veteran Russell Wilson and backup Jameis Winston, then eventually take the reins in 2026.

Dart recently held a platform that begged for a bold statement — a chance to make waves with his words before proving what his right arm and legs could do. Instead, he revealed his character and self-awareness during Friday’s YES Network broadcast of the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox game. There were no boastful claims about winning a position battle from a room of cut-rate vets. Just respect for Wilson, Winston, Tommy DeVito and the rest of a Giants quarterback room loaded with experience and poise.

“Russ winning the Super Bowl, and, you know, to kind of pick their brains each and every day has been awesome for me, especially for how young I am,” Dart said. “But I think that my focus right now is to try to develop each and every day and do whatever I can to make the team better, and I just want to win.

“I can’t stand losing, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to not let that happen. So, whatever my role is, I’m gonna play the best way that I can.”

Wilson, 36, signed a one-year deal with the Giants after sharing starts with Justin Fields for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. The Steelers finished 10-7 and made the playoffs, though Wilson looked lost at times during an AFC wild-card loss at Baltimore.

A run to the NFC playoffs would be a long shot for the 2025 Giants. Still, with a retooled running game and a star receiver in Malik Nabers — plus a defense with some bite — there’s at least a chance for Wilson to show he still has starting-caliber stuff while grooming the guy who hopes to take his job.

NFL league links

Articles

Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Bengals’ Standoffs With Trey Hendrickson, Shemar Stewart

Hendrickson is “very much dug in on his position” and will not sign a one-year extension, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via the Rich Eisen Show). The veteran edge rusher is not seeking to eclipse Myles Garrett‘s $40MM APY, but wants something just above $35MM per year in the range of Maxx Crosby and Danielle Hunter. Hendrickson is also looking for a stronger commitment from the Bengals in terms of length and guaranteed money.

Stewart, meanwhile, remains steadfast in his opposition to a specific clause that would void the remaining guarantees in his contract if he were to default in one year. That language is different than the contracts offered to the Bengals’ last two first-round picks, but it is the same as the majority of first-round picks around the league, including the players drafted right before and after Stewart, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. At least one person inside the organization believes that the language used with Amarius Mims and Myles Murphy would have the desired voiding effect in case of a default, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

For Discussion

CBS Sports

Predicting contracts, trades for Cowboys’ Micah Parsons, six other major NFL players in minicamp situations

What’s next for some of the big-name holdouts and free agents?

[H]ere are our predictions for how some of the most buzzworthy situations will play out in the coming weeks:

McLaurin also skipped both spring workouts and mandatory June camp back in 2022, before securing his current extension with the club. This sure feels like the sequel to that short-lived saga, as Washington is committed to title contention in 2025, even adding a new running mate for McLaurin in Deebo Samuel. While he’s approaching 30, “Scary Terry” is also due for a raise after five straight 1,000-yard seasons, including a seamless connection with quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Prediction: Signs three-year, $90 million extension with Commanders

Of all the discontent pass rushers seeking new deals this offseason, Micah Parsons’ fight feels the tamest. Perhaps that’s reading too much into his generally jovial personality and public optimism regarding a future in Dallas. Perhaps it’s because, unlike Watt in Pittsburgh, he actually reported to minicamp, albeit as a “hold-in” steering clear of the practice field. Either way, the Cowboys tend to get things done; they just do things at their own pace. Like Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb before him, Parsons is a face of this franchise, and he’ll likely be rewarded as such, if only after enduring a long offseason of speculation regarding his value. At the end of the day, our bet is Jerry Jones signs the check.

Prediction: Signs four-year, $162 million extension with Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles are due for a splash, though, and Jaire Alexander, who just happened to be born in Philly, would give them a higher-upside rental for their title-winning secondary.

Prediction: Signs one-year, $16 million deal with Philadelphia Eagles

UFL

Pro Football Talk

D.C. Defenders win UFL title, 58-34

The D.C. Defenders defeated the Michigan Panthers in St. Louis on Saturday night, 58-34. It was the most points scored by any team in two seasons of UFL action.

Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu completed 21 of 28 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns. He added 28 rushing yards and another touchdown.

Via Mike Mitchell, 14,559 attended the game. While a solid number by UFL standards, it’s a steep drop from the attendance in St. Louis for the 2024 UFL title game between Birmingham and San Antonio of 27,396.

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