Latest news with #Tunsil
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Laremy Tunsil's replacement could be Houston's biggest bust for the 2025 NFL season
The Houston Texans had an impactful offseason that included a move on from five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. While Tay Ersery is expected to compete for starting reps on the blindside, the Texans didn't want to pressure a young lineman to have to replace a talent like Tunsil in pass protection, so they added veteranism with former Jacksonville Jaguars starter Cam Robinson. While Robinson wasn't the big name everyone was expecting to come in for Tunsil, he was considered the best tackle on the market in free agency. After starting both the Vikings and Jaguars over the past seven seasons, he brings a leadership presence and expierence for a line that struggled to win in pass protection last season while keeping C.J. Stroud upright. The only problem? Robinson was one of the league's worst pass protectors, allowing over six sacks in 2024 between his time in Jacksonville and Minnesota. He struggled in the playoff loss against the Los Angeles Rams and allowed three sacks in the season finale over the Minnesota Vikings. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox is convinced that Ersery will be starting sooner rather than later once Robinson shows his upside could cost Stroud a season of success. In fact, he predicted that Robinson has the potential to be the biggest bust for Houston this season. "Robinson has always been a serviceable starter when healthy but never a star. He appeared in 17 games last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings and was responsible for 13 penalties and seven sacks allowed, according to Pro Football Focus," Knox wrote. "With a one-year, $12 million contract, Robinson's price point is reasonable. However, he isn't likely to make fans forget about Tunsil—and that's assuming he manages to hold off rookie second-round pick Aireontae Ersery." The skepticism is understandable, especially considering that Sam Darnold's play decreased once Robinson replaced Christian Darrisaw in Minneapolis. He also struggled early in the year to protect Trevor Lawrence at left tackle, eventually becoming a liability for the Jaguars on the blindside that led to his benching. Still, what other options do the Texans have? Ersery is still finding his footing as OTAs and former second-round pick Blake Fisher is fighting for starting spot anywhere on the line. With the addition of new offensive coordinator Nick Caley, perhaps there's some juice added to the playbook that could open up more designs in favor of Robinson starting. Houston pass protecion needs to be better in 2025 and Robinson will no doubt play a key role in just how much success they have. Well, at least for the first several games. If Ersey ends up exceeding expectations in camp, the margin of failure will shrink for Robinson to have a second or even third chance. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: New Texans OT Cam Robinson named biggest bust for Houston in 2025
USA Today
20-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Laremy Tunsil's replacement could be Houston's biggest bust for the 2025 NFL season
The Houston Texans had an impactful offseason that included a move on from five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. While Tay Ersery is expected to compete for starting reps on the blindside, the Texans didn't want to pressure a young lineman to have to replace a talent like Tunsil in pass protection, so they added veteranism with former Jacksonville Jaguars starter Cam Robinson. While Robinson wasn't the big name everyone was expecting to come in for Tunsil, he was considered the best tackle on the market in free agency. After starting both the Vikings and Jaguars over the past seven seasons, he brings a leadership presence and experience for a line that struggled to win in pass protection last season while keeping C.J. Stroud upright. The only problem? Robinson was one of the league's worst pass protectors, allowing over six sacks in 2024 between his time in Jacksonville and Minnesota. He struggled in the playoff loss against the Los Angeles Rams and allowed three sacks in the season finale over the Minnesota Vikings. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox is convinced that Ersery will be starting sooner rather than later once Robinson shows his upside could cost Stroud a season of success. In fact, he predicted that Robinson has the potential to be the biggest bust for Houston this season. "Robinson has always been a serviceable starter when healthy but never a star. He appeared in 17 games last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings and was responsible for 13 penalties and seven sacks allowed, according to Pro Football Focus," Knox wrote. "With a one-year, $12 million contract, Robinson's price point is reasonable. However, he isn't likely to make fans forget about Tunsil—and that's assuming he manages to hold off rookie second-round pick Aireontae Ersery." The skepticism is understandable, especially considering that Sam Darnold's play decreased once Robinson replaced Christian Darrisaw in Minneapolis. He also struggled early in the year to protect Trevor Lawrence at left tackle, eventually becoming a liability for the Jaguars on the blindside that led to his benching. Still, what other options do the Texans have? Ersery is still finding his footing as OTAs and former second-round pick Blake Fisher is fighting for starting spot anywhere on the line. With the addition of new offensive coordinator Nick Caley, perhaps there's some juice added to the playbook that could open up more designs in favor of Robinson starting. Houston pass protecion needs to be better in 2025 and Robinson will no doubt play a key role in just how much success they have. Well, at least for the first several games. If Ersey ends up exceeding expectations in camp, the margin of failure will shrink for Robinson to have a second or even third chance.
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN analyst not a fan of all the Commanders' offseason moves
It was a busy offseason for the Washington Commanders. Coming off a surprising appearance in the NFC championship game, general manager Adam Peters' mission was clear: catch the Philadelphia Eagles. Easier said than done. The defending Super Bowl champions are in Washington's division and had a major head start on the Commanders. However, Washington had a cheat code last season: quarterback Jayden Daniels. In the Commanders' Week 16 win over Philadelphia, Daniels passed for five touchdowns to head his team to a come-from-behind win. The Eagles got revenge in the NFC championship, and that's when the work began for Peters. The Commanders didn't spend a lot in free agency, opting to retain several of their top free agents, including Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, and John Bates. Instead, Peters used the trade market to land proven help. First, he sent a fifth-round pick to the 49ers for wide receiver Deebo Samuel. When free agency began in March, the Commanders shocked everyone, trading for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans. No one even knew Tunsil was available. Washington's most significant free-agent move was signing defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw to a three-year deal. Peters and defensive line coach Darryl Tapp had Kinlaw in San Francisco, where he was a first-round pick. In the NFL draft, the Commanders landed a pair of first-round talents in the first two rounds: offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and cornerback Trey Amos. Conerly's addition meant last year's left tackle, Brandon Coleman, would move inside to guard, completely retooling an offensive line that needed it. Commanders Wire thought Washington had a strong offseason, making solid moves to improve weak areas, instead of just throwing a bunch of cash around in a subpar free-agent class. ESPN, however, thought it was an average offseason. Seth Walder graded every NFL team's offseason and gave the Commanders a C. Even if Washington overachieved in the playoffs, it still is in the enviable situation of having a franchise quarterback on a rookie deal, so it makes sense to push the chips in. Which is what it did. Their biggest move was a bold trade of third- and seventh-round picks, a future second-round pick and a swap of fourth-round picks for Tunsil. The irony of the trade was that Houston badly needs offensive line help, and the Commanders didn't have to upgrade -- Brandon Coleman posted above average pass block and run block win rates as a rookie last season. But Tunsil is a high-end pass blocker despite leading all players in penalties last season. At 30 years old, Tunsil could have plenty left. His current contract is a good value as it requires the Commanders to pay him $21.35 million in each of the next two seasons. After also adding tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the draft, the Commanders have options. Coleman, Conerly or Andrew Wylie -- last season's right tackle -- could all feasibly start. Guard could be an option for whomever doesn't start at tackle. Washington ranked ninth in pass block win rate last season, and should expect it to be better in 2025. The trade for Deebo Samuel Sr. was a move that I was less a fan of the more I thought about it. The Commanders dealt a fifth-round pick and will pay $17.5 million for Samuel, who is 29 and coming off a rough 2024 in which he recorded 670 receiving yards and a career-low 37 overall score in ESPN's player-tracking based receiver scores. There is little risk with the Samuel move. He's in a contract year and is highly motivated. His style of play is perfect for the type of offense that Kliff Kingsbury runs. If Samuel is healthy all season, he should have solid numbers. As for Tunsil, he will significantly improve Washington's offensive line. Add in Conerly, the Commanders have ensured the O-Line in front of Jayden Daniels is not a problem. That's the right move. Protect your franchise at all costs. If Daniels continues his high-level play from last season, the sky is the limit for him and the Commanders. So all of your decisions should be made with him in mind. We do have questions on whether the Commanders did enough to improve the defense. It's challenging to fill every hole, but Peters has done an excellent job of quickly restocking Washington's roster after inheriting a mess last offseason. The jury is out for every team until the season begins. However, the Commanders made several smart moves this offseason.
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former NFL offensive lineman thinks Laremy Tunsil is overpaid
Ross Tucker played for the Washington Redskins and is now paid by the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Princeton lineman was a guest on the "Last Man Standig" podcast with Ben Standig and had some sharp things to say regarding the Commanders' new left tackle Laremy Tunsil. "Well, I'm always in favor of a team putting a lot of assets in their offensive line," began Tucker. That's certainly what teams should do after seeing what the Eagles did with their offensive line this season." "The Tunsil thing? I would love to talk with someone who really dives into the analytics and the negative value associated with all his penalties. I mean, it is a lot. I know he's a really good player, and he's an excellent pass blocker. I don't think he's a good enough player that it offsets all the penalties, as it relates to how much he is being paid." "He's being paid like one of the top two or three offensive tackles in the game. Well, to me, you are not one of the best two or three offensive tackles, if you have that many are really hurting your team, you lose that five yards or ten yards, the odds of scoring on that drive drop tremendously." "Twelve false starts, three illegal formations, so you are talking about 15 pre-snap penalties, and he had 19 (total) on the year. He's getting paid way too much for that, in my opinion," stressed Tucker. When Standig inquired why Tunsil is getting called for so many penalties, Tucker quickly responded, "He's trying to get an edge. By far, the most important aspect of offensive/defensive line play is initial quickness. It's like anything else in life. You are getting the jump on the other guy." Tucker suggested that some linemen being penalized a lot may be rationalizing that they can accept being flagged once a game, if it means they are repeatedly getting the jump on their opposing linemen. I can see why the Texans were ready to move on from him (Tunsil). Let's put it that way." Ross Tucker was a guard in the NFL during his 42-game career. He played in NFL games for Washington in 2001 and 2002, Dallas in 2002, Buffalo in 2003 and 2004, and the New England Patriots in 2005. He finished his career with Washington in 2007 when he was placed on injured reserve after suffering a career-ending injury in the preseason. Tucker now hosts the "Ross Tucker Podcast" and is employed by CBS Sports, the Philadelphia Eagles, Audacy Sports and Westwood 1 Sports.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Commanders Praised for Addition of 'Motivated' Laremy Tunsil
Commanders Praised for Addition of 'Motivated' Laremy Tunsil originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Washington Commanders' offseason saw the team move aggressively to build up its supporting cast around star quarterback Jayden Daniels. These pursuits included the addition of weapons to the passing attack, notably from the trade for Deebo Samuel. Advertisement But the Commanders also kept their trenches in mind. They spent their first-round pick on Josh Conerly Jr., an offensive tackle from the Oregon Ducks, after making a trade to bring in veteran tackle Laremy Tunsil. Among all the moves of Washington's offseason, Samuel and Tunsil have been the unquestioned two biggest gets. However, the acquisition of Tunsil has caught the attention of scouts and coaches across the league. Tunsil faces some questions after the Houston Texans showed no hesitancy to offload him through trade. One coach tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that could be a motivating factor for him with his new team. "Dude's still as good as anyone," the coach told Fowler. "Honestly, I think he just gets bored and loses focus sometimes but I'm guessing he will be highly motivated in Washington, and when he is he's among the very best." Advertisement That level of elite protection is what the Commanders are investing in with Tunsil. And while the goal for the next few years for Washington centers on capitalizing on Daniels during his rookie contract years, there is also a vested interest in protecting him for the long haul into his prime years. "He's still a top-three tackle for me," an AFC scout told Fowler. "And anything you can do to protect Jayden Daniels and load up while he's on his rookie deal is smart. They gave up a little more than I'd like but I trust AP [general manager Adam Peters] that he knows what he's doing here." Washington showed last season they had enough pieces around Daniels to become a dark horse threat in the NFC. The additions of Tunsil and others are meant to move the needle on this front, solidifying the Commanders among the conference's title contenders. Tunsil, a five-time Pro Bowler, makes a perfect example of that dynamic on this offensive line. And if the Commanders get what they bargained for out of Tunsil their dreams of title contention become even more attainable. Advertisement Related: Commanders Commemorate Passing of Ex Owner and FedEx Founder Related: Kevin Durant and Micah Parsons Tease Major Move to Commanders This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
