Jayden Daniels is about to have a new blindside protector. After six seasons with the Texans, Laremy Tunsil is on the move. The Commanders are acquiring the Pro Bowl left tackle, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Washington will send second-, third- and fourth-round picks to Houston in the swap, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Courtesy of The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, here are the full trade terms:
Commanders receive:
- Tunsil
- 2025 fourth-round pick
Texans receive:
- 2025 third-round pick
- 2025 seventh-rounder
- 2026 second
- 2026 fourth
Tunsil, 30, has seen five Pro Bowl invites come his way. Never an All-Pro, Tunsil is certainly paid like one. The former Dolphins first-round pick secured two top-market contracts from the Texans, the current deal checking in at three years, $75MM. Two seasons remain on Tunsil’s contract.
Monday’s agreement marks Tunsil’s second time being traded. The Dolphins, as they gutted their roster during a then-controversial 2019 rebuild effort, obtained two first-round picks for sending Tunsil to Houston. The Texans had Tunsil in place protecting Deshaun Watson‘s blindside for two years, but the Pro Bowl quarterback’s off-field trouble (and a trade request) ended that partnership early. Tunsil, however, has served as a key part of C.J. Stroud‘s development.
The Texans did draft Blake Fisher in the 2024 second round, and the team has Tytus Howard — who has shuffled between tackle and guard during his career — as a right tackle option. A tackle duo including Howard and Fisher would make sense for the Texans, but they suddenly would have multiple guard needs if they went in that direction. Houston released Shaq Mason this weekend.
In Tunsil, the Commanders are acquiring a high-end LT who has started 125 career games. The shrewd negotiator has also stayed healthier in recent seasons. After missing 12 games in 2021, Tunsil has combined to miss only three since. He started 17 games last season, helping a Texans line that again dealt with injury trouble elsewhere. Pro Football Focus ranked Tunsil as a top-20 tackle in each of the past three seasons. Tunsil ranked 10th in pass rush win rate last season.
The Commanders used both Cornelius Lucas and third-round rookie Brandon Coleman at left tackle last season. PFF rated the more experienced blocker as a much better option (28th) than Coleman (63rd). Washington used one of its many Day 2 picks on Coleman last year, but he may not be in line for a starting role next season. The Commanders still have Andrew Wylie rostered at right tackle.
Adam Peters indicated defensive additions would be a priority, and the team has brought in Javon Kinlaw. But the second-year GM has made Daniels protection a priority in this Tunsil swap. It will be interesting to see if Tunsil maneuvers into another lucrative extension, as no guaranteed money remains on his current deal. Tunsil used the Miami-to-Houston relocation as a springboard to future contract leverage. With Daniels on his rookie deal, Tunsil could strike again soon.
What are the Texans doing??
I saw it the other way. What is Washington doing? Tunsil had so many penalties last year.
Getting a lot of picks for a 30 year old OT, who had the 2nd most penalties for a OT. He can false start all day for the Commies now.
Moving on from Tunsil. Dude is talented but lazy. Commits way too many penalties.
They drafted Fisher last year to be his replacement and can always draft a tackle in the 1st this year. Plus they netted some future picks to help surround them with cheap talent as Stroud gets more expensive.
If Howie made this deal they would en saying what a genius.. 2/3 for an all pro LT is a steal.. wait till they trade their 2 and that 4 from Texans for Hendrickson
He wasn’t an All Pro last year though. It’s a good flyer to take since Washington’s line isn’t great, but if you think you’re getting Joe Thomas in his prime because of his accolades, that’s not what this is. It’ll be telling how Washington sees it if they give him an extension. My guess is that the Texans initiated this as much as Washington asked for it.
Thank god. Dude was a penalty machine
Would love for Texans to sign Kevin Zeiter to replace Mason. Would also love for them to draft Zabel 1st round to fill the other guard spot
Fisher, Zeitler, Patterson, Zabel, Howard.
They should sign some more depth too or draft some more depth.
Seemed like Tunsil was a penalty machine last year. That one game they scored on the first play that got called back because of him comes immediately to mind.
poor cj. guy was getting killed last year
Not mad trading Tunsil – but do still have to get protections shored up with a combo of scheme, Stroud development, and some positional upgrades. Tunsil was a flag waiting to happen but did hold his own on an otherwise porous protective scheme.
Adam Peters is burning down the future in DC. All of these draft picks (cheap rookie contracts) traded away for expensive veterans on the tail end of their careers.
Ouch.
I agree, draft well and fill holes with free agents.
It does seem they are putting all the chips in now. They are going to be only left with 3-4 picks next couple years. They do still have JD on a rookie contract and lots of cap money now but your right gonna be bad in the future with picks.
The worst part is that even if the Commies do win it all this season or next, like Sean McVay’s all in trade on Matthew Stafford, there will be five years of thin to follow two years of plenty.
Personally I’d prefer to follow a team which could win it all any year throughout a ten year period than throw all the chips in the middle for a single hand.
George Allen is my all time favorite coach and he didn’t do badly with his “The Future Is Now” approach. In this current era, many GMs won’t survive a decade if they only manage to reach “contender” status.
And CEL knows his NFL cos George Allen famously coached the Washington Redskins’ “Over the Hill Gang”.
George had a lot of strange and unconventional ideas but somehow he got results…and at the end of the day that’s what counts.
Peters must have fallen and hit his head on the corner of his night stand this morning, because I’m not quite sure what he’s doing.
Guys a 3 time first team all pro and near the top each year in pass blocking per PFF and you guys in here are happy he’s gone because he accumulated twelve 5 yard penalties throughout the 17 games he played lol. Let’s see how Strout does without this guy shutting down pressure every game
He can bring his bong/gasmask and fit right in with the folks in DC.
Tunsil is lazy, undisciplined, aging, an overpaid. Moving on from Bobby S as OC and Tunsil as the supposed leader of the oline is exactly what this group needs. D Ryans has a vision and I am hopeful it comes to fruition for this long malingering team.