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Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is signing a three-year extension worth up to $71 million in new money that places him among the NFL's five highest-paid WRs, ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported. The deal comes with a total of $53.15 million in guarantees, $34.6 million fully guaranteed upon signing and a $28 million signing bonus, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport added.

That bonus was largest given to any wide receiver. McLaurin also has 76.4 percent of the new money in the deal guaranteed.

The deal contractually ties McLaurin, 26, to Washington through the 2025 season. He was set to enter the final year of his contract with a base salary of $2.79 million in 2022.

McLaurin had skipped the three weeks of voluntary OTAs as well as the team's mandatory three-day minicamp. The deal ends what would have been a headache for a franchise that didn't need another one. McLaurin's popularity both in the locker room as a leader and with the fan base would have resulted in more displeasure directed at the Commanders.

Head coach Ron Rivera said on June 15 that they started to have more talks about a week earlier. One source told ESPN's John Keim that Rivera reached out to McLaurin -- not to negotiate but to reiterate his importance to the organization. Washington didn't waver on its desire to sign McLaurin and did not consider trading him.

McLaurin surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in two of his first three seasons after being selected in the third round of the 2019 draft despite playing with nine different starting quarterbacks (Ryan Fitzpatrick (briefly), Taylor Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert, a diminished Alex Smith, Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, Case Keenum, and Colt McCoy.)

A precise route runner with sticky hands, McLaurin can get open at every level. He's the type of wideout who makes difficult catches seem routine.

McLaurin caught 77 passes for 1,053 yards and five scores last season after grabbing 87 for 1,118 yards and four touchdowns the previous season. He finished with 919 receiving yards as a rookie. He has missed just three games in his career.

With Carson Wentz now the Commanders' starter, McLaurin can start building a rapport with his new QB come training camp without the contract distraction.