The All Things Terry Thread

[skinsinparadise]

Too lazy to pick this one sentence out of a long post.

“B. their actions have consequences that help the team, regardless of how much money they've made in the past.”

My singular point was that it is easier to be willing to help the team when you have already filled your pockets to the brim.

(Not to say that Terry hasn’t already done so as compared with average people. He has but the circumstances of that differentiation are not relevant to me.)

Has Terry lost some luster in my mind during this process? Yes

Will I get over it when/if he ultimately signs and performs up to his history? Also yes.

I get your point. But to bring mine home. As to B, even if I ran with the premise. Not all of these examples are dudes who were paid more over their career. I was saying even in the cases of the players who were paid more in their career -- those cases have value to me, too for reasons I explained.

Probably the most celebrated case of a player sacrificing was Brady. I know the comeback to that was hey he's married to a model wife so he already has a ton of money. OK. But regardless, his actions had positive consequences for the team. Do I give him props for it? You bet. If I were a Patriots fan, I love that I had a franchise QB who openly spoke about taking less money to win a SB. And I love that Brady didn't just do it but talked about it in the context of the team and winning a SB.

But still to make my point clear. I am not looking for Terry to make sacrifices like these other players. I am looking for him to not be the opposite extreme.

And IMO Terry is the opposite extreme as to his demands, his actions, and his rhetroic. So when I look at a Godwin, Sutton, Evans, L. David or whatever -- I am not looking for Terry to match their acts, but don't be the opposite extreme.

lol, I am not looking for Terry to be the next James Bond. But i don't want him to be the James Bond villain. Let's go for somewhere in between?

 

[Discobob]

While it has been talked about a bit (admittedly, I've not read every post in this thread)... the biggest downside for Terry in all of this is soiling his legacy and future earnings / opportunities with the team after he retires.

Take Santana Moss as an example - how much money, and personal satisfaction has he received through his ongoing relationship with the team in the 10 or so years that he's been retired? Terry is on a similar trajectory, and would likely have similar open doors if he wanted them, provided he doesn't damage his standing with the team and fans. If he forces his way out... he won't likely find those same opportunities with another team on a 2-3 year stint. He could come back here, but he will no longer be seen as a "core" legacy guy if he does that.

I don't know what his plans are after retirement, but it comes at a very young age for a football player. Keeping open the 20+ years of earnings and opportunities here after he retires is worth a considerable amount IMO.

 

[Chris]

I get your point. But to bring mine home. As to B, even if I ran with the premise. Not all of these examples are dudes who were paid more over their career. I was saying even in the cases of the players who were paid more in their career -- those cases have value to me, too for reasons I explained.

Probably the most celebrated case of a player sacrificing was Brady. I know the comeback to that was hey he's married to a model wife so he already has a ton of money. OK. But regardless, his actions had positive consequences for the team. Do I give him props for it? You bet. If I were a Patriots fan, I love that I had a franchise QB who openly spoke about taking less money to win a SB. And I love that Brady didn't just do it but talked about it in the context of the team and winning a SB.

But still to make my point clear. I am not looking for Terry to make sacrifices like these other players. I am looking for him to not be the opposite extreme.

And IMO Terry is the opposite extreme as to his demands, his actions, and his rhetroic. So when I look at a Godwin, Sutton, Evans, L. David or whatever -- I am not looking for Terry to match their acts, but don't be the opposite extreme.

lol, I am not looking for Terry to be the next James Bond. But i don't want him to be the James Bond villain. Let's go for somewhere in between?

I am in full agreement that Terry has handled this situation poorly. I can, at the same time, see it from his perspective also. Like I said previously, the specifics (age, late entrance into the league, etc) suck for him but they are what the are. I don’t expect him to like them even though he is going to have to, at some point, accept them.

It seems to me that there is no one close to him at this point that is either willing to have an honest conversation with him or someone who he is willing to listen to that doesn’t tell him what he wants to hear. Pride is both a valuable and a potentially dangerous attribute.

 

[Bulldog]

A few things:

1. Ownership should not get involved contrary to ESPN media talking heads suggestion yesterday. Bottom line: Adam Peters is > Terry McLaurin to this organization looking forward.

Undermining the GM would set this team back when Tunsil, Daniels and a host of others come up for new contracts.

2. One of the reasons this negotiation is difficult is the previous owner paid Terry a top 5 contract 3 years ago when he was not truly in that elite tier and now is one of the issues that separate the sides as Terry no doubt is arguing he does a bit more now then he did then.

Doing feel good contracts rarely is rewarded in sports or mainstream business.

3. A lot of the same BS about Washington going 6-11 without McLaurin reminds me of the criticism Andy Reid received when the Chiefs cut ties with Tyreek Hill after he said he wanted to set the market in a new deal.

Without a legit top 3 receiver who was 28 at the time Mahomes and Reid went on to win 2 more Super Bowls and get to two others while Hill despite the stats hasn’t won a single playoff game.

What Reid realized at the time was resigning Hill would mean having to let a guy like Chris Jones or Trent McDuffie go and in the end result Mahomes could overcome the loss of Hill and still win.

 

[Simeon]

As to Terry and his wife’s attraction to the DMV I’m sure they they have made friendships here and Terry really does feel a brotherhood with other team members. But it’s not like they wouldn’t be able to do the same elsewhere, they didn’t grow up here and don’t have kids old enough for school or to have roots themselves. They may see moving on through a different lens than some of the other teams’ players mentioned here.

 

[Bulldog]

I think that's true. Teams and players use everything they have in these negotiations, and Terry has pulled out all the 'fan stops' to get pressure to the level Adam Peters feels it.

Bottom line though, the KC Chiefs moved on from Tyreek Hill at the time one of the top couple of WRs in the game because of the effect on the cap and the team's ability to get others signed in future, and that's the perspective of a winner.

Reid knew the basic fact - an excellent quarterback can be successful with solid but unspectacular receivers, while many of the game's best WRs never make it to the Super Bowl because it is a dependent position.

 

[The Rook]

Just imagine if they had signed Terry - what would the board be talking about? I'm betting the contract - but not 37 (and counting) pages of round and round.






The Rook

 

[Chris]

Just imagine if they had signed Terry - what would the board be talking about? I'm betting the contract - but not 37 (and counting) pages of round and round.






The Rook

I’m confident we would collectively find something else to bitch about. 😉

 

[Bigwig]

When people complain to me about automobile traffic, I like to tell them it's not that you're in traffic, it's that you are traffic.

Anyway, I just voted "no" on the poll. I doubt that the team is willing to go much higher than the initial offer, and I doubt that McLaurin will be willing to accept it. (I hope I'm wrong about the second part.). And in that case, why wouldn't the team consider trading him as he requested to avoid the drama/distraction?

 

[Boone]

I mean, is McLaurin willing to sit out 2-3 seasons - because the team has that kind of leverage? He may as well retire if he’s going to display that kind of stubbornness.

I could see him letting his ego continue to drive this and refuse to take the field in 2025. But what’s the end game with that strategy?

It would be insane not to take the best offer you get now.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I mean, is McLaurin willing to sit out 2-3 seasons - because the team has that kind of leverage? He may as well retire if he’s going to display that kind of stubbornness.

I could see him letting his ego continue to drive this and refuse to take the field in 2025. But what’s the end game with that strategy?

It would be insane not to take the best offer you get now.

This would be earth shattering to me. To sit out your age 30 season in a contract dispute would be career suicide and absolutely nuke any real chances of getting a payday in 2026. On top of that, this season would not 'toll' toward his contract and thus it would be the exact same situation next season as he would still have 1 year left on his deal.

 

[Bulldog]

It's not going to be 2-3 years.

Washington is not going to franchise Terry after this season in any event.

Terry and his camp know it's a deal now or he will be playing elsewhere in the NFL in 2026. So, to him there's no point holding back, he might as well go for it now.

TJ Wattt is also 30/31 but he got his deal done because he is legitimately one of the best defensive players in the NFL and a future HOFer.

Age is important yes, especially with the grinding of the cap each year, but Terry would have received a top 5 offer and a willingness of Washington to make cuts elsewhere if he was truly a unique player like that.

 

[Boone]

The point isn't whether they will or won't franchise him Bulldog. The point is that they CAN franchise him. Were it not for that factor, McLaurin might just be stubborn enough to refuse to take the field and go all in as an UDFA in 2026. That he cannot rely on Washington letting him go in 2026 changes the entire equation.

And if they are willing to pay him $27-28 million for a couple of seasons (yes - that's an assumption) why wouldn't they consider franchising him in 2026 since it would still represent a 2 season discount vs. offering him a reworked deal right now that likely would exceed that?

 

[skinsinparadise]

I am in full agreement that Terry has handled this situation poorly. I can, at the same time, see it from his perspective also. Like I said previously, the specifics (age, late entrance into the league, etc) suck for him but they are what the are. I don’t expect him to like them even though he is going to have to, at some point, accept them.

It seems to me that there is no one close to him at this point that is either willing to have an honest conversation with him or someone who he is willing to listen to that doesn’t tell him what he wants to hear. Pride is both a valuable and a potentially dangerous attribute.

Yeah agree. He needs to get better advice. I think I see his perspective even though I disagree with it.

I just think its Terry being 100% about Terry. And granted most players are. But for me Terry is off that pedestal as being different.

Terry's perspective I gather is something like this:

He's put up with a lot of crap playing for this organziation. Bad Qbs, scandals, on and on. Yet he was the face of the franchise and held his head up high. He considers himself as good as just about any WR in the league. And he wants to be paid accordingly. At a minimm he deserves the benefit of the doubt for all hes endured.

And, it's not about whether he cares about getting paid 29 million or 35 as to the actual money. It's not about greed and more money. It's about showing the league how much he's valued. It's if this organization pays him the bigger mark, something around 35, its this team telling him they see him as one of the top WRs in the league and is actually super close to being the best in the league. And them paying him that amount also sends a message to the rest of the league that Terry isn't underrated anymore -- he's special and this team is paying him like he's special. And that he's just as good as AJ Brown, C. Lamb and maybe just a whisker behind J. Chase.

The fact that this team is starting their negotiation around 25-26 million is an insult. Would you offer Jamar Chase 25-26 million or AJ Brown that? The offer itself shows that this team doesn't see Terry the way Terry sees himself. And that hurts him deeply because he figured this team, his team, of all teams would understand that Terry is the best WR or close enough to it. So if anything this team is doubling down with what Terry hears from time to time that he's not in that elite tier. And he feels differently about himself. He thought the team felt the same way but alas their actions indicate otherwise and that hurts.

And as far as the age goes. It's nonsense. Just a lame excuse. Why should he be lumped in with other 30 plus year olds? He's Terry. He's different. This organization should get that. He has less wear on his tires because he didn't play a ton in college. He's almost never hurt. Did you see him outrun all the Lions defenders in the playoffs? It's clear as day that the 30 year old plus dynamic doesn't apply to him.

It feels to me something like that.

 

[Faithful Fan]

Just imagine if they had signed Terry - what would the board be talking about? I'm betting the contract - but not 37 (and counting) pages of round and round.






The Rook

Before Terry started this drama, we were talking about the new free agent additions, the rookie class, how the second-year players were progressing, how long the aging veterans would hold up, the new stadium, the front office, the coaches, the evolving brand, whether we are a contender or last year was a mirage, and of course Jayden. That’s part of my annoyance with Terry, his holdout distracts and detracts from all that.

 

[Chris]

Before Terry started this drama, we were talking about the new free agent additions, the rookie class, how the second-year players were progressing, how long the aging veterans would hold up, the new stadium, the front office, the coaches, the evolving brand, whether we are a contender or last year was a mirage, and of course Jayden. That’s part of my annoyance with Terry, his holdout distracts and detracts from all that.

As painful as it has been, it’s a oasis of respite from the name, branding, helmets, feathers, etc etc that dominated discussions previously. 🥳

 

[Boone]

Sorry - but I’d much rather be talking about that stuff than one of our best players holding out.

 

[Chris]

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.

 

[Boone]

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.

 

[lovemaskins]

Yeah agree. He needs to get better advice. I think I see his perspective even though I disagree with it.

I just think its Terry being 100% about Terry. And granted most players are. But for me Terry is off that pedestal as being different.

Terry's perspective I gather is something like this:

He's put up with a lot of crap playing for this organziation. Bad Qbs, scandals, on and on. Yet he was the face of the franchise and held his head up high. He considers himself as good as just about any WR in the league. And he wants to be paid accordingly. At a minimm he deserves the benefit of the doubt for all hes endured.

And, it's not about whether he cares about getting paid 29 million or 35 as to the actual money. It's not about greed and more money. It's about showing the league how much he's valued. It's if this organization pays him the bigger mark, something around 35, its this team telling him they see him as one of the top WRs in the league and is actually super close to being the best in the league. And them paying him that amount also sends a message to the rest of the league that Terry isn't underrated anymore -- he's special and this team is paying him like he's special. And that he's just as good as AJ Brown, C. Lamb and maybe just a whisker behind J. Chase.

The fact that this team is starting their negotiation around 25-26 million is an insult. Would you offer Jamar Chase 25-26 million or AJ Brown that? The offer itself shows that this team doesn't see Terry the way Terry sees himself. And that hurts him deeply because he figured this team, his team, of all teams would understand that Terry is the best WR or close enough to it. So if anything this team is doubling down with what Terry hears from time to time that he's not in that elite tier. And he feels differently about himself. He thought the team felt the same way but alas their actions indicate otherwise and that hurts.

And as far as the age goes. It's nonsense. Just a lame excuse. Why should he be lumped in with other 30 plus year olds? He's Terry. He's different. This organization should get that. He has less wear on his tires because he didn't play a ton in college. He's almost never hurt. Did you see him outrun all the Lions defenders in the playoffs? It's clear as day that the 30 year old plus dynamic doesn't apply to him.

It feels to me something like that.

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.