The Washington Commanders began mandatory minicamp Tuesday, and only one player was missing: Wide receiver Terry McLaurin. McLaurin chose to skip minicamp as his agent, and the team continued negotiations on a new long-term contract.
McLaurin is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The 2019 third-round pick will earn $2.79 million in 2022.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera spoke to the media Tuesday and discussed McLaurin’s absence.
“We understand what Terry is trying to do; we want him here; he’s going to be here,” Rivera said via John Keim of ESPN. “We believe in him as a football player.”
Earlier this week, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reported that while there had been some progress in talks between McLaurin and Washington, the two sides remained “far apart.”
How does Rivera describe the talks between the two sides?
“I believe they’re headed in the right direction,” said Rivera.
That’s encouraging, but I wouldn’t put too much stock in Rivera’s comments. There isn’t much else he can say at the moment.
Rivera noted Washington was in a similar position with defensive tackle Jonathan Allen one year ago; only the Commanders opened negotiations with McLaurin sooner. Washington and Allen agreed to terms on a new contract as training camp opened last July.
Can the Commanders reach a deal with McLaurin before training camp next month?