The Washington Commanders made another monumental statement by trading for prolific offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Adam Peters is not messing around in pursuit of maximizing quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract. Landing one of the league's premier edge protectors struck another telling blow to their adversaries in 2025.
It also provoked one of the biggest thorns in Washington's side over recent years into a state of perplexity.
Micah Parsons had no trouble tormenting the Commanders since being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. The All-Pro edge rusher's life will become more difficult thanks to Tunsil's arrival. He's an elite pass protector with Pro Bowl-caliber production. The penalties last season were too high, but those in power are confident his presence can make a significant difference.
Micah Parsons couldn't hide disbelief after Commanders traded for Laremy Tunsil
That's also an opinion shared by Parsons based on his social media post after the trade was confirmed. The Penn State product couldn't believe what he was reading, knowing fully that he'd be seeing a lot of Tunsil when Washington squares off versus Dallas twice a season.
The Cowboys have once again refused to make major free-agent additions over the opening stages of legal tampering. Jerry Jones signed former Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams to a one-year deal, but that's about it. The owner/general manager's hesitancy to pay Parsons is only going to cost him more after the recent explosion in edge-rushing contracts around the league.
That's of no concern to the Commanders, who are pushing their chips into the middle in pursuit of going one better next season. Peters has a lot of hard work ahead, but adding an accomplished performer such as Tunsil into the mix is only going to help their cause.
Parsons is the sort of player who'll relish the challenge. He'll also move around the line of scrimmage to exploit any weak links. That won't be Tunsil, who's one of the most consistent performers around and is the most productive left tackle Washington's had since Trent Williams.
These aggressive moves by the Commanders send a clear message to their division rivals. They are eager to prove their sensational run to the NFC Championship game is not going to be a flash in the pan. It's a tremendous start to an exciting project that Peters is implementing. The end goal is to get this franchise among the NFL's heavyweights and keep them there.
Some worrying glances are being cast. Dallas was way behind the Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles last season. Jones stated he would be selectively aggressive during the free-agent frenzy and cleared plenty of salary-cap space for extra flexibility. But something prevented him from taking the plunge with any marquee names.
If the same trend continues and the Cowboys fall further behind, they're going to have a big Parsons problem for their ever-growing collection.
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