The Washington Commanders made a pair of bold trade acquisitions during the early stages of the 2025 NFL offseason. It was the clearest sign yet that general manager Adam Peters is going all out to bring another long-awaited Super Bowl to this storied franchise after decades in the football wilderness.
One of them, former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., is a move that figures to bring palpable excitement to Washington's offense.
The other, five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, may be the better move purely from a value standpoint. Especially considering the impact this could potentially have on quarterback Jayden Daniels' protection if everything goes according to plan.
Commanders receive high marks for Laremy Tunsil trade from NFL analyst
Kevin Patra from NFL.com seems to think so. The analyst gave the Commanders an A-minus grade for the Tunsil deal in his recap of all of this offseason's major trades.
"There are only so many wall-sealing left tackles on the planet. The Commanders had a chance to acquire one, and they pounced."Kevin Patra
He notes that the move comes at a cost. Washington gave up four draft picks, including a 2025 third-rounder and their 2026 second-round selection. But for a team firmly in win-now mode, it is worth the risk.
The 30-year-old Tunsil has previously played for the Miami Dolphins, who drafted him with the No. 13 overall pick in 2016. He most recently turned out for the Houston Texans, where he spent the past six seasons.
Given the struggles of Washington's offensive line last season — 50 sacks allowed, seventh-most in the NFL — it can be argued that the one-time Ole Miss standout is the biggest addition the Commanders have made during the offseason thus far. Something that is going to help Daniels enormously.
Tunsil figures to be the biggest name Washington has boasted on its blocking unit since Trent Williams and Brandon Scherff were in town. He has two seasons remaining on his contract, counting $21.35 million against the cap in both seasons. So long as he continues to display elite production in D.C., the Commanders will look to re-sign him at some stage.
Samuel was ultimately brought in to complement Terry McLaurin, who remains the Commanders' top wideout weapon. Tunsil, on the other hand, should not only be the undisputed leader of Washington's offensive line but arguably one of the standouts at his position across the entire NFL.
When a player like Tunsil becomes available, you don't think twice. That's why Peters and his staff aced this trade with flying colors.
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