Latest news with #Tunsil
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Commanders trade for Laremy Tunsil ranks as best offseason move for franchise
The Washington Commanders made some solid moves during free agency and added some promising new faces through the 2025 NFL draft. Adam Peters is in his second year as general manager, and he's proving that all of the time he spent working as a scout and in player personnel departments was worth it. One of the biggest moves the Commanders made this offseason was trading for offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil. Tunsil previously played for the Houston Texans, but orchestrated his own trade, acting as his own agent, and now the veteran will don burgundy and gold this fall. That trade was highly praised throughout the NFL, and The Athletic's Mike Sando says it's his favorite move by the Commanders. Acquiring Laremy Tunsil from Houston could solve the Commanders' left tackle position through quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract and beyond. Tunsil, who turns 31 in August, has earned Pro Bowl honors five times in the past six seasons. He's younger than left tackles Duane Brown and Trent Williams were when Seattle and San Francisco acquired them, respectively. Brown and Williams were solid through their age-36 seasons. This could be a very good move if Tunsil holds up similarly. In 2024, only five quarterbacks were sacked more than Jayden Daniels. He took 47 sacks despite his ability to escape the pocket, so one can only imagine what that number would have been if he weren't mobile. Caleb Williams was sacked the most (68), followed by C.J. Stroud (52), Geno Smith (50), and Joe Burrow and Sam Darnold both were sacked 48 times. While Daniels has the ability to run, and he's quite good at it, the Commanders know that for his longevity, he needs to remain in the pocket more often. He's never going to stay there, nor would anyone want him to change how he plays, but as a professional, he needs to understand that an adjustment to his play has already started. Tunsil was, indeed, a fantastic addition to the Commanders. He makes the offensive line better, brings veteran leadership to that line, and has a track record of success in protecting the quarterback's blind side.
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL executive compares Saints' first-round pick to 5-time Pro Bowler
NFL executive compares Saints' first-round pick to 5-time Pro Bowler ESPN's Jeremy Fowler emptied his notebook with takeaways from every team's haul in the 2025 NFL draft, including the New Orleans Saints. And he came away with a couple of points worth highlighting for some of the team's picks, most notably first-round offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. The former Texas Longhorns left tackle was compared to a five-time Pro Bowler by one of Fowler's sources. "He's awesome. He's Laremy Tunsil," one anonymous NFC executive told Fowler; his report mentioned that, in the eyes of scouts, Banks "was a clear-cut top-10 pick, despite many mock drafts having him in the teens throughout the process." It isn't a bad comparison. Both of them weigh in at around 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, but Tunsil has slightly longer arms and did a little better in athletic testing at the combine. What's important is they were both rock-solid in pass protection against SEC competition. Per Pro Football Focus charting, Tunsil allowed just three sacks and was penalized eight times over his final 599 snaps in pass protection at Ole Miss. At Texas, Banks gave up one sack and was fouled eight times in his last 591 reps in pass pro. Being able to match up with other future NFL players and protect your quarterback matters. So does this mean Banks is about to start for 125 consecutive games and earn five Pro Bowls? Hopefully. But for now, he just needs to focus on getting on the field however his coaches see fit. And like Tunsil, his first start may come at left guard. The Miami Dolphins had a reliable starter in place at left tackle when they drafted Tunsil, but they knew Brendan Albert was approaching the end of his career, so they played the rookie at guard for a year until that spot opened up. The Saints are in a similar situation. Taliese Fuaga played really well at left tackle last year, and Trevor Penning made some real strides after moving to right tackle. But Penning is in the last year of his contract and may not be on the team in 2026, which would allow Fuaga to go back to his college position on the right side. Maybe the plan is to start Banks at guard in 2025 and let both guys play their natural positions in 2026. It worked out for Tunsil. It could work out for Banks, too.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Commanders' 2025 Success Comes Down To 2 Veterans
There's no ifs, buts, or maybe's; the Washington Commanders are all-in on winning in 2025. With Jayden Daniels on his rookie contract, general manager Adam Peters went out and traded for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil to bolster what was already one of the NFL's most potent offenses in 2024. Advertisement For some, those two moves put the Commanders over the top in their search for Super Bowl glory in 2025, with Daniels leading the charge. But that is providing both are "hits" and play to the level expected of them, because aside from Samuel and Tunsil, the Commanders didn't bring in any other substantial players. More so, re-signing the veterans already on the roster. For CBS Sports, they think Washington's entire season might boil down to how much Deebo and Tunsil can elevate the team's play. "Are the new veterans enough to put them over the top? We won't know this until crunch time of the 2025 campaign, of course, but Washington quickly and understandably pivoted to win-now mode after Jayden Daniels' magical debut," CBS Sports writes. "How new left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wideout Deebo Samuel pan out could determine their postseason ceiling." Deebo Samuel, Jayden Daniels And The Commanders Tony Fisher There is merit to that thought. Advertisement Samuel hasn't been able to replicate his All-Pro season of 2021, and hasn't gotten to 900 receiving yards in the three seasons following that. Plus he hasn't played a full season since then either. As for Tunsil, the five-time Pro Bowler will look to lock down the left-hand side of the offensive line, with Daniels being sacked 47 times last season (sixth-most in football). Per PFF, Tunsil was ranked 23rd overall among fellow tackles in 2024 (76.5 grade), plus he had 19 penalties, the most of any tackle in football. So there is room for improvement there. But if Samuel and Tunsil both produce as they did last season, in 2025, will that be enough for the Commanders to be in Super Bowl contention? That, my friends, is the biggest question mark hanging over the franchise. Related: Commanders Cutting Cornerback Predicted By NFL Analyst Related: Commanders Announced as NFL Draft Host for 2027
USA Today
27-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL analyst gives Texans rare praise for shocking offseason trade of Laremy Tunsil
NFL analyst gives Texans rare praise for shocking offseason trade of Laremy Tunsil While the Houston Texans have mostly been considered "losers" of the offseason following the trade of five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, one expert isn't as low on their chances to rebound and perhaps improve in 2025. ESPN's Ben Solak recently broke down in one of his offseason posts, stating that he was a fan of Houston's initial moves on the offensive line to move out Tunsil and former first-round pick Kenyon Green, effectively resetting this group after a brutal year of production. "Count me among the few who like the Laremy Tunsil deal for the Texans," Solak wrote. "Even if he returned to his 2023 form, he was not saving their offensive line problems on his own. Getting a third-rounder this year and a second-rounder next year is a good deal for a 30-year-old tackle on a megadeal -- especially considering how many flags he draws. That, plus shipping Kenyon Green off for [C.J.] Gardner-Johnson, was a good offloading on an offensive line that desperately needed a culture reset." Houston's offensive line was dreadful at best in 2025. Despite having the highest payroll among all offensive lines, they allowed the third-most sacks among teams (54). C.J. Stroud, who suffered a sophomore slump, took the brunt of those hits as the second-most sacked quarterback behind only Chicago's Caleb Williams. By moving Tunsil for four picks, including a future 2026 second-round pick, the Texans can pivot toward the draft in finding stability in their trenches. Most mocks have Houston selecting either Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr, Ohio State's Josh Simmons or Oregon's Josh Connerly, should the pick remain 25th overall. And yes, Houston still must fix the offensive line if it plans to compete for an AFC conference title. Solak mentioned that while moving off Green and Tunsil was wise, the response on how to replace the duo was underwhelming. "To buttress their now-depleted offensive line, the Texans signed Trent Brown and Cam Robinson at tackle and Laken Tomlinson at guard, and traded for another guard in Ed Ingram," Solak wrote. "All four of these players have been liabilities on their recent teams. Whether for mental lapses, diminished play in old age or just a low level of talent, these are not the players I'd like taking snaps along my offensive line. Ideally, Ingram and Tomlinson are only ever depth for Houston, but still. "I was hoping to feel at least cautiously optimistic about the revamped offensive line for third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, and I simply cannot get there with this group." The Texans own seven picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, including four selections in the top 100.
USA Today
26-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL Insider explains the perplexing reason for Texans' trade of Pro Bowl OT Laremy Tunsil
NFL Insider explains the perplexing reason for Texans' trade of Pro Bowl OT Laremy Tunsil Most Houston Texans fans are frustrated with the move of shifting away from offensive linemen like five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and offensive lineman Kenyon Green, but one insider believes it'll benefit all parties after an underwhelming 2024 campaign. The MMQB's Albert Breer recently wrote that while Houston moved off the five-time Pro Bowl left tackle to shore up more money to pay for free agents, that was one part of the equation. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans wanted a change in locker room culture after finishing 10-7 back-to-back years. By shipping off Tunsil to the Washington Commanders, it can be a starting point entering 2025. "Ryans feels like the culture he wants across the board is in place on defense but not on offense and that a toxic atmosphere in the offensive line room was a root cause," Breer wrote "And while Tunsil wasn't a bad guy (he was actually well-liked), he wasn't the type of leader to turn the ship—and needed to be as one of its captains. "So he's gone in a move that took a lot of stomach from Ryans and GM Nick Caserio, and Houston's looking to rework the position group. They're doing this by giving themselves a lot of options—with more potential to come in the draft." Tunsil was the headliner of the Texans' offseason, but not the only one that factored into the team's rebuild of the offensive line. Houston moved Green, a former first-round pick who likely was halfway out the door, to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for do-it-all defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Texans also released Shaq Mason as a post-June 1, thus freeing up over $9 million in cap space. That move was a major factor in helping Houston ink new extensions for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and defensive end Danielle Hunter. In place of the departed, Houston added four new offensive linemen. Two are expected to start, though it could be a battle between Ed Ingram and Laken Tomlinson on which takes over at guard. Cam Robinson, a nine-year veteran between Jacksonville and Minnesota, should start at left tackle for one year, but sights turn to the Texans adding a player within their first four picks at long-term options. The hope is that the newfound Texans' offensive line won't give up 54 sacks in 2025 while going on a run to the postseason. If that occurs, it's likely because of a strong culture implemented inside the huddle.
