The Washington Commanders shook the NFL to its foundations by trading for prolific left tackle Laremy Tunsil. New revelations from a league insider provided clarity on why the Houston Texans parted ways with one of their most talented performers.
Something that also threw subtle shade on the offensive lineman's leadership credentials along the way.
Tunsil is an elite-level blindside protector. He's easily the most productive left tackle Washington's had since Trent Williams was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. It's a win-now move and a major statement of intent from the Commanders, who want to capitalize on quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract and make another bold Super Bowl bid next time around.
While the Texans also made the playoffs last season, the campaign overall came with underachievement. C.J. Stroud couldn't reach his rookie heights as the protection in front of the quarterback crumbled. Tunsil was his typically consistent self, but others couldn't meet their end of the bargain.
Laremy Tunsil's leadership abilities scrutinized after blockbuster Commanders trade
Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated shed some light on the Texans' decision to send Tunsil packing. Although his production was high and he was respected in the locker room, head coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio didn't think he had the leadership qualities to spearhead their planned culture shift on offense.
DeMeco Ryans feels like the culture he wants across the board is in place on defense but not on offense and that a toxic atmosphere in the offensive line room was a root cause. And while [Laremy] Tunsil wasn’t a bad guy (he was actually well-liked), he wasn’t the type of leader to turn the ship—and needed to be as one of its captains. The reality is that the offensive culture fix, if they wanted to pursue it, wasn’t going to be easy, regardless of which path the Texans took. I’d applaud [Nick] Caserio and Ryans for taking a tougher road, with the idea that it’ll lead to more sustainable results.Albert Breer
So he was well-liked and a good leader. Just not good enough.
Right…
Fortunately for Tunsil, he doesn't have to alter his approach in Washington. There is already an established winning culture in place with proven leaders across the board. His task will be to enhance this and produce the goods when it counts in a competitive setting.
That's it.
It is the perfect environment for Tunsil at this stage of his career. The Commanders are an ascending organization with lofty ambitions. They are ready to challenge for Super Bowls and will stop at nothing to achieve this objective. He'll have an important part to play, but nobody is expecting him to come into the building and unseat the likes of Terry McLaurin and Bobby Wagner as the locker room alphas.
The Texans wanted much more from Tunsil and weren't confident they were going to get it. But their lack of conviction is the Commanders' gain if the five-time Pro Bowler maintains or even enhances his exceptional performance levels.
Tunsil is a stud. He's a solid professional with glittering credentials very few around the league can match. And make no mistake, the Commanders are a better team after his blockbuster arrival.
