McLaurin’s Trade Request: What It Means and Where He Could Go
Kevin discusses the latest news out of Washington and potential landing spots if a trade happened
Let’s get this out of the way up front; I don’t think Terry McLaurin will actually be traded.
Despite the frustration and tension, this feels like a classic leverage play in contract negotiations. McLaurin wants to be paid like the top-tier receiver he’s been, while Washington seems reluctant to commit big money to a player who’d be 31 when an extension kicks in. The trade request? It’s pressure, a bargaining chip. Odds are the Commanders and McLaurin find common ground.
But if they don’t… let’s have some fun.
McLaurin is still a high-level playmaker, coming off a career-best 13-touchdown season and sitting at 460 career receptions. If the Commanders entertain offers, several teams should absolutely make the call.
Kansas City Chiefs
The reigning AFC champs aren’t flush with cap space, but that hasn’t stopped them from taking swings, even if most of those swings have come via short-term deals or mid-round picks. Rashee Rice’s situation is murky, Xavier Worthy is nursing an injury, Travis Kelce isn’t ny younger, and Marquise Brown hasn’t been a model of health himself.
If the Chiefs want to make another Super Bowl run, Terry McLaurin could be the piece that helps them get there.
He’s the kind of polished, reliable WR that would thrive in Andy Reid’s system and give Patrick Mahomes a real weapon on the outside again. McLaurin’s ability to separate, win downfield, and work all three levels would give this offense the boost it needs. If KC wants to reintroduce a vertical element to their passing attack, this is how you do it.
Dynasty Takeaway: Slight bump. Being tied to Mahomes and Reid’s system always brings value upside.
New York Jets
The Jets have been active this offseason, but there’s still a massive void behind Garrett Wilson. Allen Lazard, Josh Reynolds, and Xavier Gipson don't move the needle as a legit WR2.
McLaurin would change that in an instant.
He’d give the Jets another reliable target to pair with Wilson, easing the pressure on both the young WR and quarterback Justin Fields. There’s already built-in chemistry too; Fields and McLaurin both come from Ohio State, and Jets passing game coordinator Scott Turner was McLaurin’s OC in Washington.
The Jets have the cap space, the need, and the connections. Whether they’re ready to make that kind of move depends on how much faith they have in Fields and how aggressive this new regime wants to be.
Dynasty Takeaway: Probably stays the same. Target volume could be limited next to Garrett Wilson, and Fields' long-term outlook still carries risk.
New England Patriots
New England may have added Stefon Diggs this offseason, but let’s not pretend this receiver room is fixed. Diggs is 32 and coming off a torn ACL, and while rookie Kyle Williams has promise, he’s still a long-term project. Demario Douglas led the team in receiving last year with just 621 yards; that says everything.
McLaurin would immediately become Drake Maye’s most dependable weapon and allow the Patriots’ young receivers to develop without being thrown into the fire. He’s a culture-changer, the exact type of player Mike Vrabel would love to build around.
The Patriots have more than enough cap space to pull this off, and they’ve already been loosely linked to McLaurin in league circles. If they want to accelerate Maye’s development and give this offense a true WR1, McLaurin should be on their radar.
Dynasty Takeaway: Huge bump. This would be the best landing spot for his long-term value, tied to a young ascending QB and wide-open target share.
Los Angeles Chargers
Ladd McConkey produced like a WR1 last season, but the rest of the Chargers’ wide receiver room is a work in progress. Quentin Johnston still hasn’t shown consistent hands, and Tre’ Harris, while a nice Round 2 pick, is being asked to contribute right away in one of the NFL’s youngest position groups.
The Chargers did bring back Mike Williams… but he retired before the preseason even started.
If McLaurin becomes available, this is the type of move L.A. should make. He’d immediately give Justin Herbert a high-floor, high-ceiling WR1 to pair with McConkey, giving Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman two reliable weapons to open up the offense.
The Chargers were aggressive on the trade market last season. With the AFC loaded and the margin for error razor-thin, swinging big for McLaurin might be the type of move that helps this team keep pace.
Dynasty Takeaway: Likely neutral or slight downgrade. Fantasy managers are all-in on Ladd, and Greg Roman’s run-heavy scheme is always a volume concern.
Arizona Cardinals
Alright, fantasy managers, avert your eyes. If you’re heavily invested in Marvin Harrison Jr.’s WR1 breakout, this one could sting. But from a roster-building perspective? It makes a ton of sense.
The Cardinals have over $35 million in cap space and a thin WR room behind MHJ. Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch are fine complementary options, but Terry McLaurin would give Kyler Murray the best wideout he’s had since peak DeAndre Hopkins and take serious pressure off Harrison as he continues to develop.
This also makes sense from a Commanders perspective. If Washington were open to trading McLaurin to the NFC, someone like Michael Wilson could be a solid piece in return.
I hope it doesn’t happen (for fantasy reasons), but Arizona is one of the few teams that checks every box: cap room, need, and a QB who could use a proven, high-end WR1.
Dynasty Takeaway: Likely stays the same. Still the WR1 on a middle-of-the-pack team, but the addition of McLaurin wouldn’t drastically shift his ceiling or floor.
Wildcard: Houston Texans
Don’t count out the Texans as a sneaky landing spot for Terry McLaurin.
Houston took a step back last season, but C.J. Stroud is still on his rookie deal and very much the future of the franchise. With Tank Dell expected to miss the season, the Texans could be in the market for a proven, steady pass-catcher to pair with Nico Collins, and McLaurin fits that bill perfectly. He’d be the ideal complement: a technician with strong hands and elite consistency to take some of the heat off Collins.
The Texans also have the flexibility to get creative in a deal. They could offer up one of their rookie wideouts, like Jaylin Noel or Jayden Higgins, to sweeten the package, especially if Washington wants a young developmental receiver in return.
If Houston wants to stay aggressive and continue surrounding Stroud with talent, adding McLaurin would give them one of the best 1-2 receiver duos in the AFC.
Dynasty Takeaway: Slight bump. Stroud’s offense is the real draw here, but McLaurin would be more of a 1B next to Nico. Still, it’s a great ecosystem for sustained production.
McLaurin’s Current Dynasty Value
With all the uncertainty surrounding Terry McLaurin’s future, the trade request, contract drama, and looming age curve, his dynasty value is in a weird holding pattern. He’s currently valued as a high-end WR2 or back-end WR2 in most formats, and you can likely acquire him for a late 2026 1st or a younger upside WR plus a pick.
This could be the perfect time to pounce.
If you believe he stays in Washington, this noise could open a buying window in your league. McLaurin has proven production, a secure floor, and, assuming his situation stabilizes, still offers 2-3 years of startable value in most dynasty builds.
Don’t be afraid to kick the tires. In a market obsessed with age and upside, McLaurin might be the undervalued win-now piece your roster needs.
Let’s take a look at ten trades that have gone down in dynasty leagues since the trade request and what they might tell us about his current market.
Dynasty Trades (12 Team SF/TE Premium)
Terry McLaurin FOR 2026 1st
Terry McLaurin FOR Courtland Sutton/Jerry Jeudy
Terry McLaurin FOR Khalil Shakir/2026 2nd
Terry McLaurin FOR Cooper Kupp
Terry McLaurin FOR Jakobi Meyers/2026 2nd
Terry McLaurin FOR Ricky Pearsall
Terry McLaurin/2026 3rd FOR Joe Milton/Jerry Jeudy
Terry McLaurin FOR Kyle Williams
Terry McLaurin FOR Michael Pittman/2027 3rd
Terry McLaurin FOR Joe Mixon
Final Thoughts
Let’s bring it all together: Terry McLaurin probably isn’t getting traded. This feels like a leverage move, not a true break-up. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun playing out the “what if,” and if Washington does explore a deal, there are plenty of logical landing spots that could either stabilize or even boost his value.
From a dynasty perspective, this is the exact type of uncertainty that opens a buy window.
McLaurin’s currently valued as a high-end WR2 or back-end WR2 in most formats. The market’s cautiousness about his age (30) and contract situation. But this is still a guy with five straight 1,000-yard seasons and 460 career receptions. If he stays in Washington, he’ll continue to be the target hog for Jayden Daniels. If he moves? Most realistic landing spots have strong enough quarterback play to support him as a top-30 option.
So whether you’re contending and want a discount flex upgrade, or rebuilding and see a short-term value spike opportunity, now might be the time to test the waters in your league.