The Washington Commanders didn't come close to meeting expectations in 2025. However, general manager Adam Peters' bold trade to acquire left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans paid off handsomely.
Now, he's been rewarded.
Tunsil's production was nothing short of elite. His pass-blocking was as advertised, providing exceptional protection in front of either Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota. The Ole Miss product's run-blocking was dominant, a supposed weakness in his game. While the penalty numbers were a little too high, the edge force brought All-Pro-caliber consistency to the table in a lost season.
The five-time Pro Bowler made no secret of his desire to get another deal ahead of time. Tunsil prides himself on being the best — and being the highest paid — left tackle in the league. Washington had no choice but to pay the going rate, and unlike the situation with wide receiver Terry McLaurin last summer, Peters acted quickly to resolve the matter.
Commanders do the right thing with lucrative Laremy Tunsil extension
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Commanders have tied down Tunsil with a two-year, $60.2 million extension. This also resets the left tackle market, which is nothing more than what the player deserves.
The Commanders had a lot of tough decisions to make heading into the offseason. Peters was under pressure to make the roster improvements needed to get things back on track, and there was money available to fund them. Getting an extension worked out with Tunsil was not one of them, and this extension will also significantly lower his cap number in 2026, providing some extra financial flexibility.
Players like Tunsil don't come cheap. The Commanders had to pay a premium to get him into the building, leaving them with only two picks in the first four rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Keeping him was even more costly financially. But considering his importance at a premium position, you simply can't put a price on it.
Tunsil now has extra security. This also means he'll be around for the entirety of Washington's offseason program, integrating himself with the new blocking concepts being installed by offensive coordinator David Blough and familiarizing himself with some new faces along the protection.
The Commanders have many unknowns. But everyone associated with the organization can relax, safe in the knowledge that Daniels' blindside will have arguably the best possible option league-wide, keeping him out of trouble.
That's a win-win for everybody.