The All Things Terry Thread

[skinsinparadise]

No doubt that I have a different view. C’est la vie.

The challenging/frustrating part is that none of us have anywhere near the information about either subject to do anything but live in the arena of speculation and then reaction. Especially the Terry one. Opinions? Sure, that’s why places like this exist. Ultimately it’s all good but it gets repetitive with the same arguments going around in circles for days and weeks on end.

As it relates to McLaurin, it would sure be helpful to know what he is seeking and what the team has or has not offered. Short of that we are all just pissing our pants in a dark suit; it may feel good but nobody notices.

Agree, its repetitive but lol we are killing time before the season. But to your point, I am starting to get bored with it. So hopefully it's settled soon.

I think there are enough whispers to make a strong guess for what's going on. Granted more so on Terry's ask than what the team is offering.

Schefter, Nikki (from WP, now the Athletic), Rappoprt have referenced ball park what they heard Terry wants.

What does Terry Want
Rappoport: north of 30
Nikki: Metcalf contract is the starting point for Terry;s camp
Schefter: Wants quite a bit more than the Metcalf contract -- I don't recall his exact words.

What is the team offering?
Steven Smith (granted dubious source) 27 million
Terry's pal on twitter: 25 million
Fowler: forgot exactly what he said but if I recall it was around 26.
Keim -- thought best case if both sides gave in -- they'd have a deal around 28 million.

So with all of that. Feels like there is a good chance this team is around 25-27 million. Feels like there is a good chance Terry wants somewhere from 33-36 million.

Tony Pauline, good source about the draft, not sure about the NFL straight up, he said asking around he heard Terry wants big guarantees and good long term security.

 

[Primus Porcus]

It’s still the offseason.

Something McLaurin should keep in mind… once the bullets start flying no one is going to give a flip about him if he’s not on the field.

Including the guy calling the plays.

If he ultimately holds out of regular season games, the game plan will be designed without him. If that game plan is successful, Quinn and co don't exactly strike me as the type to re-vamp something that's working. Add to that the 'ramp up' period pretty much every player needs and even if he flips after the last pre-season game, it'll be multiple weeks before he's even at 'full' speed.

 

[Boone]

lovemaskins - That’s fine. But that’s also the kind of mindset (based on pride) that can be self-defeating. Having a line of demarcation you aren’t willing to flex or negotiate on may mean you don’t get what you want or even what is ultimately smart and in your best interests. I guess standing your ground and being ‘principled’ may be of some solace.

 

[ntotoro]

If Terry's demands really are that crazy, Peters can just say "Find a team willing to pay you your terms and they owe us a first and a third for 2026."

It's really pretty simple. I think the market is going to be more dry than Terry expects. Just because he has held up to this point is no guarantee it'll continue, when the competition is younger. All it takes is once.

 

[lovemaskins]

lovemaskins - That’s fine. But that’s also the kind of mindset (based on pride) that can be self-defeating. Having a line of demarcation you aren’t willing to flex or negotiate on may mean you don’t get what you want or even what is ultimately smart and in your best interests. I guess standing your ground and being ‘principled’ may be of some solace.

Absolutely! But I fought for what I believed in!

Principal v. Stubborn.
Hard negotiator v. Greedy.
Confidence v. Cocky.
Passionate v. Obsessed.

All subjective based on the person. Where is the line and when do we know we’ve gone too far. That’s hard when we have to examine ourselves, easier to see in others…

As some have said, his agent should help with that. Terry should use some wisdom and discretion. I’m not saying he’s right or wrong, only that he believes he’s right. Not a right wrong issue.

Adam is doing exactly the same thing, just on the opposite end. His principals guiding him.

NFLPA / players support Terry = NFL Owners / GMs support Adam.

Quinn can’t comment… poor guy!

 

[Boone]

Absolutely! But I fought for what I believed in!

Principal v. Stubborn.
Hard negotiator v. Greedy.
Confidence v. Cocky.
Passionate v. Obsessed.

All subjective based on the person. Where is the line and when do we know we’ve gone too far. That’s hard when we have to examine ourselves, easier to see in others…

As some have said, his agent should help with that. Terry should use some wisdom and discretion. I’m not saying he’s right or wrong, only that he believes he’s right. Not a right wrong issue.

Adam is doing exactly the same thing, just on the opposite end. His principals guiding him.

NFLPA / players support Terry = NFL Owners / GMs support Adam.

Quinn can’t comment… poor guy!

I can 100% respect your perspective - well said.

 

[prodigy]

Good lord - who said he is a complete selfish piece of shit?

I like McLaurin but I don’t think these have been his best moments. I don’t think it has impacted how he is viewed by players or coaches - yet. That could change if he continues to not show up and football is impacted.

Fans usually side with players. The fact that most view the current situation as mostly of TM’s own making is a little telling.

an exaggeration by me and I'm not saying you are doing this, but the tone of some posts have come across that way or, at least, as if this is some big betrayal.

 

[Boone]

I'm not saying you, but the tone of some posts have come across that way or, at least, this as if this is some big betrayal.

I get that. Fans are emotional for sure, some more than others. In the big picture it is what drives the incredible popularity of all things NFL. But you aren’t wrong on wildly emotional fans either…

 

[HeelsSkinsBraves]

I’ve read most, but not all of this thread, but one thing I haven’t seen mentioned is the fact that Terry clearly knows that age matters. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be playing all of his cards the way that he has, and playing such hardball. The way he has handled this situation/negotations 100% proves that he knows that the age angle is 100% viable for Washington and any other well run organization. I don’t fault him for fighting so hard for more money, but, you can’t say that age doesn’t matter with respect to “Terry McLaurin” but in turn play such hardball in negotiations basically knowing that all well run organizations have data proving that age matters. Age is the very reason he is fighting so hard. It’s his last big contract.

 

[NoCalSkins]

I said from the start I assumed the range Terry would get was 28-32, and that range makes sense if the front office opened with 25 and Terry started at or around where Metcalf was signed for. Terry has been a solid WR for this organization during a lot of rough times but he is no longer "the guy" in this offense, the front office is no longer a clown show that hands out heaps of money with no vision for building a roster, and the fact is whether an extension gets done or not Terry is under contract for 2025 and there is a decent chance he could get tagged in 2026/2027 if the money is right in those situations & the team hasn't found a stud WR to replace him yet, but those two seasons are not really of concern at the moment tbh.

 

[mistertim]

Absolutely! But I fought for what I believed in!

Principal v. Stubborn.
Hard negotiator v. Greedy.
Confidence v. Cocky.
Passionate v. Obsessed.

All subjective based on the person. Where is the line and when do we know we’ve gone too far. That’s hard when we have to examine ourselves, easier to see in others…

As some have said, his agent should help with that. Terry should use some wisdom and discretion. I’m not saying he’s right or wrong, only that he believes he’s right. Not a right wrong issue.

Adam is doing exactly the same thing, just on the opposite end. His principals guiding him.

NFLPA / players support Terry = NFL Owners / GMs support Adam.

Quinn can’t comment… poor guy!

I agree that it's not about "right" or "wrong", but it is about reality. Which Terry seems intent on refusing to face. The reality is:

- The FO isn't going to pay him ~$34+m/year (assuming reports that he wants more than Meltcalf are true). It simply isn't going to happen.
- The FO isn't going to trade him. They have no incentive to do so unless they can get a very high draft pick in return.
- He can't realistically refuse to play. If he does, the last year of his contract will just roll over into 2026 so he'll be in the same boat but a year older.
- He can't assume he can play this season and then be a UFA in 2026 because the team could tag him for far less than ~$34m.

He simply doesn't have the cards, but he's either unwilling or unable to see that. All he's doing by not being willing to meet them in the middle and accept a realistic contract is hurting himself.

So whatever he believes he's worth isn't all that relevant. Sure he can believe it. Sure he can fight for it. But at the end of the day reality is going to win. I can fully believe I deserve a $50k/year raise at work and fight for that. But it's not realistic and I have to realize at some point that it's not going to happen, and continuing to publicly bitch about not getting it will eventually have a negative impact on me.

 

[RedWolf]

God I hope we figure out a solution soon so this thread will die

 

[Boone]

The problem isn't the thread. The problem is the player who wants way more than he is perceived to be worth

When the real problem is resolved, the thread will be too.

 

[RedWolf]

The problem isn't the thread. The problem is the player who wants way more than he is perceived to be worth

When the real problem is resolved, the thread will be too.

Maybe you misunderstood me. I just want a resolution

 

[HTTRDynasty]

😬

 

[burgold]

Put Trent Scott in. He's a touchdown machine.

 

[skinsinparadise]

And if that’s how he really feels, how could he not fight for it? I’d expect any man to fight under those circumstances. I’d fight and have fought under those circumstances. Anybody else’s opinions be damned. Fans, GM, owner, coworker, whomever.

That’s doesn’t make him a bad guy, doesn’t change how I feel about him as a fan. I have more respect for him. A man determines his own legacy. Doesn’t matter what someone else thinks or how someone else feels… it’s how I feel when we’re talking my dignity, my respect.

Some are seen as more noble than others in these types of circumstances, but as a man I’m only concerned with the man looking back at me in the mirror.

It's OK for him to fight for it. But for me, three things I don't like about how he's doing it stylistically

A. I don't like the shots at the FO for not valuing him, and suggesting they say one thing and do another. I don't want the "leader" of the team to put in the water for other players that this FO is untrustworthy.

B. The holdouts aren't always what comes with this with other players. But its the card that Terry likes playing both this time and the previous time.

C. I don't like the lack of team mentions in his rhetoric about his contract. Heck the dude even referred to himself in third person talking about it. Whether its BS or not, I like it when other players talk about their contract in the context of the team. With Terry, its me, me, me -- how does the team value me. What he went through with this team. How is he valued versus the rest of the league.

Again, none of this makes him a bad dude. But I am off the train that Terry is a special leader for this team. I think there are limits to Terry's leadership IMO based on how he's behaving. And while I buy that some players would take a little less to stay where they are at and a SB means more to them than a bigger paycheck -- I doesn't feel like Terry is in that select group. And again that's OK. But IMO he's not this special team first guy the way I once saw him.

 

[CuredFromBatteredFanSyndrome]

Agree w/ SIP.

Not that he cares, but no matter what happens with his contract - he’s just another dude to me now. It’s way too important of a time for everyone involved to be so me-me-me. At no time has he even pretended to care about how his contract impacts the team overall. He’s not even putting sweet nothings into the atmosphere about wanting to get a deal done that works for everyone. He’s made it very clearly all about him and the only smidge of leverage he has is his availability or lack thereof to us for the upcoming season.

 

[PETEGEE77]

This development has been upsetting and a distraction. I'll think he'll play this year and not walk away from $15 mil. Like others I'm getting bored with the whole situation. Just get your butt in there Terry. In my 60 years of watching NFL football I've never seen a player offer to give money BACK or take less $$ after a really down year.

 

[lovemaskins]

It's OK for him to fight for it. But for me, three things I don't like about how he's doing it stylistically

A. I don't like the shots at the FO for not valuing him, and suggesting they say one thing and do another. I don't want the "leader" of the team to put in the water for other players that this FO is untrustworthy.

B. The holdouts aren't always what comes with this with other players. But its the card that Terry likes playing both this time and the previous time.

C. I don't like the lack of team mentions in his rhetoric about his contract. Heck the dude even referred to himself in third person talking about it. Whether its BS or not, I like it when other players talk about their contract in the context of the team. With Terry, its me, me, me -- how does the team value me. What he went through with this team. How is he valued versus the rest of the league.

Again, none of this makes him a bad dude. But I am off the train that Terry is a special leader for this team. I think there are limits to Terry's leadership IMO based on how he's behaving. And while I buy that some players would take a little less to stay where they are at and a SB means more to them that a bigger paycheck -- I doesn't feel like Terry is in that select group. And again that's OK. But IMO he's not this special team first guy the way I once saw him.

Hard to argue anything there SIP, I’ll respond with:

A. As I mentioned in a previous post, I can see where he may feel duped (betrayed is a little harsh) as the front office has talked up an extension and his value, but there’s a gross misalignment between the 2 (from his view).

B. Holdouts don’t bother me one way or the other, part of the business.

C. I’m with you here. Considering he’s a team captain and vocal leader, I’d like him to be less “me” as well.

He or Bobby typically get the guys together pre-game, and the offense goes thru him, so I too want that guy to be team first. But he most likely will still carry his leadership mantle inside the locker room if re-signed. The guys’ll still love him, he’s a dawg!

I think we’re just surprised to see that Terry is indeed a diva wide receiver. The mentality that makes him fight for his contract by aggressive means is how he plays the game. Making big plays on the biggest stages hatched that diva sized ego last year!

Most of those guys that play that way are a little nuts in the noggin. Guess you gotta be to go across the middle in the league or want the matchup v. best corners on earth!