ASHBURN, Va. -- As soon as the contract extension for Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin was reported, the question began: Who won?
In the reaction to determine which side -- McLaurin or the Commanders -- ultimately made concessions or misplayed their hand during the negotiations, the real victors of Monday's agreement were quarterback Jayden Daniels, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, tight end Zach Ertz, and everyone else on the Commanders' roster.
Over his six NFL seasons, McLaurin had become the "heartbeat" of the offense, one former Washington assistant coach told ESPN recently, providing energy, emotion and passion for the unit and who was routinely voted a team captain.