As teams kick off mandatory minicamp, some of the more important storylines to watch for are players who choose to skip, and there's one in particular the New England Patriots should be paying attention to.
Over at Washington Commanders minicamp, wide receiver Terry McLaurin has opted to stay away as he is in the midst of a contract dispute.
The Patriots added a good amount of talent at the position this offseason with free agents Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, along with drafting Kyle Williams. But, with a young franchise quarterback like Drake Maye in Year 2, the Patriots shouldn't hesitate to at least put some feelers out for McLaurin.
Not to mention, the Patriots certainly haven't looked "done" at the wide receiver position.
Could the Patriots make a trade for Terry McLaurin?
This is a big assumption, but if the Commanders for some reason can't figure out a deal, the Patriots should swoop in and enter the conversation. McLaurin is in the final season of his 3-year, $68.2 million contract and is looking for an extension.
It does make sense for the Patriots to go after him, too. We don't know how dependable Diggs is going to be coming off a torn ACL. Hollins is fine, but nothing special. If anything, Williams could be a star in the making and flourish even more next to a veteran like McLaurin.
New England could opt to throw in a wide receiver on a rookie contract such as Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, Kayshon Boutte or Demario Douglas to go with a combination of picks.
This also might be enticing because the Commanders gave up a good amount of draft capital this offseason to land the likes of Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil.
Of course, it seems likely that the Commanders are able to figure out a deal with McLaurin. This hasn't turned ugly just yet, but if it does, then the whispers are going to get even louder. Right now is the time for Eliot Wolf to start paying closer attention.
In six seasons, McLaurin has 460 receptions for 6,379 yards and 38 touchdowns.