The NFL offseason is heading into its final stretch, with the arrival of training camps pushing the remaining unresolved situations closer to a resolution. Two of them stand out because of the importance of the players to their respective systems: Wide receiver Terry McLaurin with the Washington Commanders and linebacker T.J. Watt with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Both players are in contract disputes with their teams and face similar situations: veterans who have continued to produce on the field while seeing their contracts become outdated and surpassed by several players at their positions. An NFL insider revealed where negotiations currently stand and offered a prediction on what the outcome will be for each player.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer Weighs In on Terry McLaurin and T.J. Watt Contract Negotiations
Few wide receivers in the NFL have been as consistent as McLaurin over his six years with the Commanders. And last season, McLaurin’s talents were finally utilized to their full potential with the meteoric arrival of quarterback Jayden Daniels. Together, the duo became one of the most reliable in the NFL, combining for 13 touchdowns on the season.
With Watt, the situation is similar but on the defensive side of the ball. Even with an offense that year after year ranks among the least inspiring in the NFL, the Steelers continue making the playoffs thanks to a defense led by Watt. Both Watt and McLaurin earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2024 for their seasons and entered a contract year this offseason.
Terry McLaurin had 117 targets in 2024:
82 REC
1,096 YDS
13 TDThe only WR with those numbers on that many targets in a season since 2000. pic.twitter.com/xc0cGecTWz
— CommandersMuse (@CommandersMusee) May 16, 2025
Senior NFL reporter Albert Breer revealed in his column for Sports Illustrated that he expects both situations to be resolved soon, with both players staying with their franchises, as that is the desire from both sides in each case.
“I have a really hard time not seeing Terry McLaurin and the Commanders getting something done,” Breer wrote. “It’s been bumpy negotiating a new deal for the soon-to-be 30-year-old. But these things often are. I’d put T.J. Watt and the Steelers in a similar light, the sides have massive mutual benefit and “motivation to push another contract over the goal line.”
What complicated negotiations for both sides were the contract extensions signed by other players at their positions this offseason. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett signed for $40 million per year among edge rushers, and Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase signed for $40.25 million per year, putting pressure on both front offices to make similar moves. Watt skipped OTAs and minicamps and is expected to maintain his holdout until his contract is renewed.
Steelers standout edge rusher T.J. Watt, also seeking a new contract, is not attending Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 10, 2025
Even with both franchises interested in an extension and the players as well, the market has become inflated, and that is now an unavoidable reality for these positions. With both McLaurin and Watt, they are no longer young players, which may cause some caution from the franchises and justify the bumpy negotiations, as Breer describes.
Still, it is hard to imagine the Commanders moving on from McLaurin now that they finally have a quarterback on a rookie contract and brought in Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers to complement the offense.
The same goes for the Steelers, who invested in wide receiver DK Metcalf and quarterback Aaron Rodgers to raise the ceiling of the offense. They are unlikely to part ways with the best player on their defense now that expectations have risen.
Training camps begin in July, with the Commanders reporting fully on the 22nd and the Steelers on the 23rd. By then, both players are expected to have signed new contracts. If not, it would not be surprising to see a holdout extending into the start of the regular season.