Analyst's Raiders trade proposal would land Terry McLaurin from Commanders

Since news broke that Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has requested a trade amid a contract dispute with the team, the Las Vegas Raiders have routinely been suggested as a possible landing spot.

One of the analysts bringing up the Raiders as a possible destination for McLaurin is For The Win's Cory Woodroof, who proposes a Las Vegas-Washington trade that sends the Commanders two picks in exchange for McLaurin.

Here's what Woodroof is floating:

• Raiders get: WR Terry McLaurin
• Commanders get: 2026 second-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick

"The Raiders have one of the thinnest receiver rooms in the NFL, and adding a star like McLaurin to that group would be huge for new quarterback Geno Smith," the analyst wrote. "Las Vegas clearly wants to win now, so getting somebody like McLaurin on the roster would be paramount to making that happen.

"Perhaps the Raiders would just throw caution to the wind and send a high draft pick Washington's way for a player who would instantly raise the team's 2025 floor. The Raiders have the financial flexibility to get a deal done with McLaurin. We know Smith would absolutely love this," Woodroof added.

Do the Raiders need Terry McLaurin?

The Raiders have a strong one-two punch in Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, but there are definitely question marks behind those two.

Tre Tucker is the most experienced wide receiver of the group expected to make the Raiders' 53-man roster outside of Meyers, but he also has just two years of experience, and he's coming off a season in which he tallied 539 yards.

Las Vegas may also have to depend on a pair of rookies in Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton, both of whom have shown promise but remain unproven.

It's safe to say the Raiders could use a more established wide receiver, something McLaurin certainly is after five 1,000-yard seasons in a row.

McLaurin is an upgrade over Tucker, Bech and Thornton, and he would create an excellent trio with Meyers and Bowers that would help the Raiders compete in a difficult division and conference.

Will the Commanders trade Terry McLaurin?

According to ESPN's John Keim, the Commanders have zero interest in trading their best receiver, and understandably so, as McLaurin is also pivotal to the development and success of budding star quarterback Jayden Daniels.

However, McLaurin requesting the trade and pushing the issue as he seeks a new contract changes things. If neither side budges and McLaurin decides to hold out into the start of the season or his frustration boils over, Washington might move him.

The sticking point, according to Keim, is McLaurin's age, as the Commanders are hesitant to pay out a big money deal to a receiver who will turn 30 in September.

What will a Terry McLaurin contract look like?

McLaurin will almost certainly be looking for a deal that surpasses what Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who is the same age, recently got.

Sutton signed a four-year, $92 million deal that pays him $23 million annually.

That said, McLaurin has been more productive over his career with five 1,000-yard seasons as compared to Sutton's two. And, Sutton admitted he took less money to help the Broncos out with future extensions.

Knowing all that, McLaurin's extension will probably have a floor of $30 million per year, up from the $22.7 million annually he's making on his current contract.

Can the Raiders afford a Terry McLaurin extension?

According to Over The Cap, the Raiders are sitting pretty financially over the next few years, with the team projected to have a league-high $99 million in cap space in 2026 and $175 million in 2027.

So, yes, the Raiders can afford a McLaurin extension.

What a Terry McLaurin trade proposal might look like

Because of his age and the fact that McLaurin will require a big extension, a trade package will likely start with a third-round pick and go from there. The Raiders could then toss in a late-round pick to get the deal done.

The Commanders might look to grab Jakobi Meyers in return considering the huge void McLaurin will leave behind, but making that kind of deal wouldn't give the Raiders the sizeable upgrade they need.

Granted, McLaurin is a better player, but the Raiders need to add on to their current group with another experienced wideout, not trade one for another.

If the Raiders can get McLaurin for a third- and sixth-round pick, they should pull the trigger. Swapping out the third for a second like Woodroof has in his proposed deal would make us rethink things.

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