The Washington Commanders’ rebuild has been a significant success, already paying off in 2024. The team reached the NFC Conference Championship despite starting the year with low expectations, and they found their quarterback of the future in Jayden Daniels, who had one of the best rookie seasons in the NFL.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin was a key catalyst for this performance. Amid a contract dispute with the franchise, a Commanders legend made a bold comparison to defend why McLaurin deserves a new deal with the team.
Why Did Joe Theismann Compare Terry McLaurin to Jerry Rice?
No player was more critical in easing Daniels’ transition from college to the NFL than McLaurin. Of the 25 touchdowns the quarterback threw in 2024, 13 went to McLaurin, who proved to be a reliable target capable of attacking the field in multiple ways.
His value within the scheme has led NFL fans to consider him one of the league’s most underrated players. Only now, playing alongside a star quarterback, is his true worth being recognized, which has increased his bargaining power as he negotiates a new contract.
Joe Theismann, a Washington legend, spoke on the “Up & Adams” show about the wide receiver’s value to the franchise. He argued that a contract extension is essential for the Commanders to remain as competitive as they were in 2024.
“He sort of fits into that Jerry Rice category”
Joe Theismann on why the Commanders need to get Terry McLaurin’s deal done ASAP ‼️@heykayadams | @Theismann7 @TheTerry_25 pic.twitter.com/WKuUsaumsF
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 8, 2025
“His intangibles and his value to this football team are even more outweighed, I should say, than his talent, which we know is extreme. He needs to be paid. He needs to be paid right away. We need to put this issue behind us as a football team. He is one of the leaders and he’s a guy that you can always count on,” Theismann said.
McLaurin’s availability is one of the most valued aspects of his game today. Over the past four years, he hasn’t missed a single game and has recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in each season. Theismann compared his role in the scheme to the one Jerry Rice played during his career.
“You can always count on him in a game. He’s faster than people think. To me, he sort of fits into that Jerry Rice category where he’s not a burner. He doesn’t get all the publicity. He doesn’t get all the hype, but he’s as good as anybody that plays this game. I would put him up against anybody that plays wide receiver in the national football league.”
JAYDEN DANIELS. TERRY MCLAURIN. THE COMMANDERS.
đź“ş: #WASvsCIN on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/bP5qrpGN8q— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2024
What Does Terry McLaurin’s Contract Situation Mean for Washington?
McLaurin reached the peak of his career in 2024, posting his third-best year in receiving yards, his best in touchdowns, and second-best in receptions. He currently earns an average of $22.8 million per year, which ranks him only as the 16th highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, according to Spotrac.
He will be a free agent next year, and the expectation is that both sides will reach an agreement by training camp. This timeline would avoid a longer holdout by McLaurin, which could disrupt the team’s plans for the opening weeks of the 2025 season.
