Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin requested a trade out of the nation’s capital on Thursday due to a lack of movement in contract negotiations, and one Cleveland Browns star is already starting to recruit the star playmaker.
Browns Pro Bowl corner Denzel Ward took to X after McLaurin’s trade request and tried recruiting his former college teammate to Cleveland.
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“My Ohio State brother Terry McLaurin would look fire in a Cleveland Browns jersey🔥. I’m just saying,” Ward wrote on X.
Ward and McLaurin played together at Ohio State for two seasons, so the two know each other well. Ward was selected with the No.4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Browns, while McLaurin was a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Commanders.
Outside of Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland lacks proven talent and production in the receiver room. Taking a big swing for McLaurin would be an electric move by general manager Andrew Berry, though the messy quarterback situation could push the two-time Pro Bowl receiver away from the Browns.
Additionally, Cleveland may not have the cap space to sign McLaurin to an extension after trading for him. According to Over the Cap, the franchise is slated to have negative $36 million in cap room next offseason.
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McLaurin has yet to practice in training camp and is frustrated with how contract talks are going with Washington. The Commanders would be foolish to let go of the highly productive receiver, but as time goes by, the likelihood of McLaurin wearing a different jersey has only increased.
It would be fun to see McLaurin, who has posted five straight 1,000-yard seasons, play with the Browns. However, there is a low chance of it happening despite Ward’s recruitment pitch.
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