Terry McLaurin is demanding to be paid more than this former All-Pro receiver

Terry McLaurin is demanding to be paid more than this former All-Pro receiver originally appeared on The Sporting News

We know that Terry McLaurin wants more money. And if he can't get it from the Washington Commanders, he wants a trade.

But how much more money? And how is he determining his own value?

Well, sometimes, it's as easy as finding someone who does the same job, pointing at that person, and saying, "I'm better than him. I should get paid more."

For McLaurin, that person is DK Metcalf, a one-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl receiver in his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to The Athletic NFL insider Nicki Jhabvala, McLaurin has used Metcalf's contract structure as the metric that the Commanders must surpass.

"One person with knowledge of McLaurin’s contract negotiations said the veteran receiver has asked for more than DK Metcalf, who signed a four-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this year," Jhabvala wrote.

"If McLaurin is seeking more than Metcalf’s $33 million a year in average annual value, that would put him in the top four among receivers. If he seeks more than the $60 million Metcalf is guaranteed, that would land him in the top 10 receivers among guaranteed money. If McLaurin is using Metcalf’s deal as a benchmark based on percentage of the team’s cap, the Commanders’ wideout would be asking for more than 11.8 percent of Washington’s cap in average annual value, which would be at least the fifth-highest percentage among receivers, according to Spotrac."

McLaurin can certainly make the case that he deserves money similar to Metcalf. He has been the Commanders’ leading receiver every season since he entered the league. Last season, he was second in the league in receiving touchdowns behind Ja'Marr Chase.

McLaurin has had five consecutive seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards and hasn’t missed a game in four seasons. The Commanders awarded him a three-year extension worth around $70 million in 2022. McLaurin's current deal, at $22.79 million in average value, ranks 18th among receivers.

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