Jayden Daniels had a historic rookie season and the Washington Commanders didn’t even put a great offensive line in front of him.
The Commanders, hoping to upgrade the line, made a big move Monday, trading for Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil according to NFL Media.
The Texans are sending a fourth-round pick along with Tunsil to the Commanders for second-, third- and fourth-round picks according to NFL Media. That’s a big price to pay for a team that’s still in the building phase, but Tunsil is one of the best tackles in the NFL.
Tunsil has made the Pro Bowl five times in the last six seasons and just turned 30 years old. The Commanders’ line was much better than expected last season, probably due in part to Daniels’ elusiveness in the pocket, but Tunsil will be a big upgrade for that unit.
It’s the second time Tunsil has been traded. He started his career with the Miami Dolphins, who traded him to the Texans. Tunsil was fantastic with the Texans, and also perennially one of the highest paid offensive linemen in the NFL. He is in the final year of a three-year, $75 million deal. Presumably the Commanders, who have plenty of cap space with Daniels on his rookie deal, have plans to give him a big extension.
The Commanders had a shocking run to the NFC championship game last season, far ahead of schedule in their rebuild. They’ve made some moves this offseason, trading for receiver Deebo Samuel, agreeing with defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw on a big contract and now making another trade for a regular Pro Bowl offensive tackle in Tunsil. Washington fans had to be thrilled with their team’s sudden turnaround, and happy with the front office for continuing to be aggressive.
