ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders have activated Terry McLaurin off the physically unable to perform list, the team announced Saturday.
The move is the next step in his progression and is unrelated to contract negotiations, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
McLaurin is now eligible to practice, though the Commanders typically have players activated off PUP work with trainers on a separate field first.
Washington placed McLaurin on the PUP list, citing an ankle injury that bothered him late in the season, when he reported to camp following a four-day holdout. McLaurin was fined $200,000 for missing that time. By reporting, he could no longer be fined.
If he were to sit out games, McLaurin would lose a game check for each week missed, including the bye week. McLaurin would forfeit $861,111 for each week missed.
The two sides have been far apart in negotiations since they started discussing a deal earlier in the offseason, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. McLaurin had said in an interview a week before camp opened that he would not return to the field until there was “progression” in the talks.
McLaurin has one year remaining on a three-year, $68 million extension he signed in 2022. According to multiple reports and league sources, McLaurin has targeted the deal DK Metcalf received from Pittsburgh — four years at $33 million with $60 million guaranteed.
Washington has not come close to that average per year figure, according to multiple sources. Some in the league believe the Commanders could eventually get to $28 million per year. McLaurin requested a trade July 31, but multiple team sources have said over the last several months that they have no intention of trading him.
Though he was at the facility, McLaurin would only emerge after practice to sign autographs for fans. But he did watch from the sidelines during the team’s burgundy-and-gold intrasquad scrimmage Aug. 12, along with other injured players. Before that session, he spoke with general manager Adam Peters on the sideline.
McLaurin, coming off his second Pro Bowl appearance, was second in the NFL with a career-best 13 touchdown receptions — as well as 10 red zone scoring catches — in 2024. He has topped 1,000 yards for five consecutive seasons, although he has not yet surpassed 1,200 yards.
Last month, in a 30-minute interview with reporters, McLaurin expressed deep frustration with the lack of progress in their talks.
“I want to continue my career here. I’ve created my life here. My wife and I bought our first home here. So this has been somewhere I’ve always wanted to be. Just to see how things have played out has been disappointing,” he said. “I understand everything’s a business. But at the same time, I want to put myself in a position where I’m valued, I feel appreciated and things like that. Unfortunately, that hasn’t transpired the way I want it to.”
