May the Colts Commerce for Terry McLaurin?

Washington Commanders Broad Receiver Terry McLaurin has lengthy been a fan favourite of Indianapolis soccer followers, together with his soccer journey starting with the Cathedral Preventing Irish. In 2013 he was named after a dominant senior 12 months which culminated in a sensational state championship-winning efficiency in Lucas Oil Stadium (9 touches, 170 whole yards, and three Touchdowns), incomes him a scholarship with Ohio State.

5 years later he returned to Lucas Oil to face Northwestern within the BIG10 Championship, the place he as soon as once more placed on a present in entrance of his hometown crowd, with 3 catches going for 78 yards and a pair of TDs. This efficiency in his last season with the Buckeyes helped him stand up draft boards main as much as the 2019 Draft, the place many Colts followers had been hoping to see him return house to assist a Receiver room that was in want of a quantity 2 alongside a soon-to-be 30 12 months previous TY Hilton.

Sadly the Colts handed on the native star 3 times within the 2nd Spherical, the final of those picks taking McLaurin’s collegiate teammate Parris Campbell chosen to be that potential quantity 2 Wideout (which largely on account of accidents, by no means occurred). McLaurin went early within the third Spherical to Washington, the place he has remained for his complete profession. He emerged as the highest Broad Receiver on the workforce ever since his rookie 12 months with 919 yards and seven TDs, and has racked up at the very least 1,000 receiving yards and 4-13 TDs in all 6 seasons since regardless of a unique QB each season and never having high quality QB play till 2024 with rookie Jayden Daniels.

Whereas a time travelling DeLorean isn’t round to rewrite historical past (seems plutonium is so much tougher to get now than it was in 1985), the Colts might need an opportunity to treatment that mistake after the actual fact with McLaurin requesting a commerce on Thursday as contract negotiations bitter with the Commanders. What does his present contract state of affairs appear to be? What may the Colts supply to get McLaurin again in Naptown as soon as extra? Does a commerce make sense?

McLaurin’s Contract Scenario

Scary Terry is at the moment on the books for the Washington Commanders for:

• 2025: $25.5 million cap hit | $5.6 million lifeless cap hit | $19.9 million cap financial savings
• 2026: $5.6 million void 12 months cap hit, Unrestricted Free Agent

In buying and selling McLaurin at this level within the offseason, the Commanders would unlock $19.9 million in cap house for 2025 however would nonetheless owe him $5.6 million in each 2025 and 2026.

At age 30 and with Broad Receiver contracts hitting new stratospheres, the Commanders have been hesitant to present McLaurin a giant extension. He’s at the moment the 18th highest paid Broad Receiver within the NFL per 12 months ($22.788 million per 12 months), with all 17 Broad Receivers forward of him getting their present offers within the final 2 offseasons. 9 of those Broad Receivers have hit the $30 million a 12 months threshold, which is probably going what McLaurin goals to earn subsequent. Nonetheless only one such Broad Receiver acquired their deal at 30 years previous, and that was Tyreek Hill. Whoever trades for McLaurin must be keen to pay him prime greenback afterwards for a number of years into his 30s.

The Commerce Bundle for McLaurin

What may the Colts supply the Commanders to tempt them to commerce away their prime weapon?

The Michael Pittman Jr Swap

The Indianapolis Colts don’t actually want one other Broad Receiver proper now. Michael Pittman Jr. has held the WR1 function since 2021, averaging 992 yards a season in that 4 12 months span. Josh Downs has manned the slot as a shifty separator over the past 2 seasons and competed with Pittman for the highest goal goal share final season. Alec Pierce is on the final 12 months of his rookie deal and led the NFL in Yards per reception with 22.3 and led the the Colts in Receiving yards with 824, narrowly beating out Pittman (808) and Downs (803) in simply 37 catches. They even have 2024 2nd Spherical Broad Receiver Adonai Mitchell 4th on the depth chart and subbing in at instances, albeit with some consistency and chemistry points as a rookie.

However the Colts may look to improve, and if there’s a Broad Receiver that could be a tradeable asset on this situation, its swapping prime targets with Pittman Jr. heading to Washington. Pittman is the fifteenth highest paid Broad Receiver within the NFL at $23.333 million per 12 months and is coming off of the worst season of his profession outdoors of his rookie 12 months. That is predominantly on account of a again damage that lingered throughout the starting of the season, and this offseason has suffered a minor knee damage in June and a July groin damage earlier this week. Pittman Jr. has fought by every of those accidents and the latter two are comparatively minor, however are nonetheless price monitoring.

Pittman’s contract could be very tradeable, with most of his ensures already paid for within the first 12 months of his 3 12 months extension.

• 2025: $23m Cap Hit | $5m Useless Cap Hit if traded | $18m Cap Financial savings
• 2026: $29m Cap Hit | | $5m Useless Cap Hit if traded | $24m Cap Financial savings

On this swap the Colts would primarily pay $24.9 million in Pittman’s lifeless cap hit and McLaurin’s remaining cap post-trade in 2025. Then they’d owe Pittman one other $5 million on prime of no matter McLaurin’s 1st 12 months of his extension would value in 2026. For 2025 at the very least this can be a comparatively minor impression because the Colts nonetheless have $19.4m in cap house for this 12 months and this is able to simply take away $1.9 million.

There could possibly be some draft picks concerned as effectively, however the swap alone is pretty even when contemplating:

• Michael Pittman Jr. has additionally had related (albeit only a tick beneath) manufacturing as Terry McLaurin with related poor QB play and lack of stability 12 months to 12 months beneath middle.
• Michael Pittman Jr. is 2 years youthful at age 28 and has 2 years remaining on his deal.
• Michael Pittman Jr. is barely extra inexpensive in 2025 and can save the Commanders cash in 2026.
• Terry McLaurin being on the final 12 months of his deal and 30 years previous lowers his commerce worth a bit.

So the picks concerned possible gained’t contain in an excessive amount of of draft capital shake up for both workforce, almost certainly involving Day 3 capital swapped.

There are different commerce packages involving extra premium draft capital (A Spherical 2 decide and several other Spherical 3 to 4 picks), or different gamers who can unlock a spot within the Broad Receiver Room (Alec Pierce together with his related function as a deep ball menace) or match salaries carefully (DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson, or Jonathan Taylor). However none of those trades make a lot sense for a wide range of causes: too many assets on the Broad Receiver to simply surrender picks, Pierce’s 2025 cap hit being too small and giving the Colts little or no flexibility for the remainder of the season, the Colts not keen to create main holes elsewhere on the roster.

Does the Commerce Make Sense?

Since 2021 Michael Pittman Jr has recorded:

• 365 Receptions
• 3.967 Receiving Yards
• 10.9 Receiving Yards Per Reception
• 17 Receiving Touchdowns

All in 65 video games and with the QB carousel of Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Nick Foles, Sam Ehlinger, Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew II, and Joe Flacco throwing him the ball in that span.

In the meantime Terry McLaurin recorded:

• 315 Receptions
• 4,342 Receiving Yards
• 13.8 Receiving Yards Per Reception
• 27 Receiving Touchdowns

All in 68 video games and with QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kyle Allen, Garrett Gilbert, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz, Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett, and Marcus Mariota earlier than Jayden Daniels took the reins final season.

What does McLaurin carry extra of to the desk in comparison with Pittman?

• Pace: 4.35 40 Yard Sprint vs Pittman’s 4.52, 1.54 10 Yard Cut up vs Pittman’s 1.61
• Route working separation: ranked twentieth in Separation, Pittman ranked forty fifth in 2024
• Yards after the catch 4.6 vs Pittman’s 4.4 throughout their careers
• Palms: 4.8% vs 5.1% Drop price, 57.3% vs 53.8% Contested Catch price throughout their careers

McLaurin is an improve at Broad Receiver 1 for the Colts, albeit not a major one in some areas.

Is that this improve sufficient to justify $1.9 million in 2025 and $6-9 million in 2026 extra cap house dedicated to Broad Receiver, in addition to lowering the assets accessible to retain Alec Pierce after the 2025 season (and Braden Smith, Nick Cross, Samson Ebukam, and Kwity Paye amongst different 2025 Free Brokers too) and Josh Downs after the 2026 season?

As a lot as followers would love for McLaurin to return again to Indianapolis and pretty much as good of a match as he can be with Anthony Richardson’s skillset to punish defenses vertically, it’s onerous to check this commerce occurring for the Colts with the assets already dedicated to the place. Forcing Richardson to immediately acquire chemistry with a brand new prime Broad Receiver additionally has its drawbacks, particularly as the method may take time and the season simply on the horizon.

More than likely McLaurin will stay with the Washington Commanders and re-sign with the workforce like another star gamers who request trades or maintain out this time of the 12 months, or he’ll hit Free Company within the 2026 offseason.

However a fan can dream…