Commanders predicted to trade WR Terry McLaurin to AFC Super Bowl favorite in shocking move

The Washington Commanders are entering the 2025 season with a target on their back after catching the entire NFL off guard last season in a year that resulted in the first NFC Championship appearance for the franchise since 1991. 

But entering the new NFL season, the Commanders are no longer overlooked. The NFL has Jayden Daniels and company in six primetime slots, as many as any team in the league. Daniels is coming off a historic rookie campaign where he shattered records and brought an optimism to D.C. that has been gone for decades. 

All offseason, the Washington Commanders have been making moves that make it clear they believe their Super Bowl window is right now. 

Shortly after the regular season ended, they made their first major move by trading for former 49ers jack-of-all-trades WR Deebo Samuel. Samuel brings a versatile weapon that OC Kliff Kingsbury can use in creative ways as a both a runner and a receiver. 

After adding Samuel, the Commanders shocked the entire NFL by trading four 5-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil in a deal with the Texans nobody saw coming. 

GM Adam Peters also made a point to bring back veteran staples from last season’s team like Zach Ertz and Bobby Wagner. 

When the NFL Draft rolled around, the Commanders added another key piece to the offense in the first round by drafting Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. 

Conerly will likely play opposite of Tunsil at right tackle and should be a starter in Week 1. In the fourth round, Washington added speedy Virginia Tech WR Jaylin Lane, who should also be a major contributor on special teams. 

Last season, Daniels elevated the cast of mid-level receivers around him, while leaning heavily on Terry McLaurin who has been a top-10 WR since joining the Commanders. 

McLaurin sat out of voluntary team activities as he seeks a new contract, and everything coming out of Washington alludes to a new deal getting done before training camp. 

Anothony Palacios of Last Word on Sports mentioned the Commanders will likely do everything in their power to keep McLaurin, but said there are two teams to keep an eye on if a deal doesn’t get done. 

The Commanders want to keep him for the long term, but that will be up to McLaurin on what type of deal he wants, since he’s currently disappointed with the ongoing progress of the negotiation talks and left the voluntary camp suddenly last week. It might not matter to the wide receiver if there is a great thing going on in Washington when he’s been a part of this team when they didn’t have a winning season, so if the Commanders don’t offer a contract now, these two teams could take advantage in the coming weeks.

The Kansas City Chiefs could use some bolstering in their wide receiver room. Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice should be the long-term starters for this roster, depending on whether they can stay out of trouble. McLaurin is his own perfect WR1 that could take Worthy and Rice to the next level. Despite re-signing Marquise Brown to a one-year deal, McLaurin could be worth the investment since the Chiefs wouldn’t have to worry about signing any more one-year veterans.