The Houston Texans had a few major goals this offseason after a sputtering exit from the playoffs in 2024. This is obviously the best team in the AFC South, yet there's seemingly a large gap between the elite contenders in the conference and this roster.
As a result, the front office had a big mission to reduce that distance and put the Texans in a position to not only win the AFC, but emerge victorious in the Super Bowl as well.
That's what made it surprising to see the franchise trade five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was with the organization for six years, to the Washington Commanders. Houston got a haul, and despite Tunsil's strong summer, the ex-standout won't be missed.
Laremy Tunsil is fired up about this Washington offensive line.
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) June 12, 2025
The Commanders left tackle said they are "dogs."
Laremy also spoke very highly of Josh Conerly Jr., "just the way he moves, the way he bends...he has all the tools to be a damn good player in this league." pic.twitter.com/KY4dKMTa3x
Texans Won't Miss Former LT Laremy Tunsil After Offseason Trade
Houston sent the 30-year-old Tunsil to the Commanders for a major haul: a 2025 third-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Texans sent a fourth-rounder in 2025 back in return, yet this is still a massive return.
It's worth pointing out that Tunsil seems focused and energized in Washington. He's praising his teammates and should make a big impact. Either way, this was the right decision.
Cornerback Jaylin Smith was taken with this year's third-rounder, and now Houston is well-positioned to keep stockpiling young rookies as it's foundation ages into new contracts. Tunsil has the third-highest cap hit of any left tackle in the league and is an excellent player, yet getting rid of him saved the Texans a significant sum and let them prioritize other parts of the roster.
One can easily argue that the offensive line was the team's biggest problem in 2024, and it likely was. That said, Tunsil clearly wasn't making this an elite unit, and perhaps the opportunity cost of keeping him was too great given the other holes.
Cam Robinson will now take over Tunsil's role. Robinson isn't close to Tunsil's level, though there were questions about Tunsil's commitment to work and whether or not he was focused on winning. For a head coach like DeMeco Ryans, that's a non-starter.
Regardless, this seems like a wise move, even if it hurts. Tunsil won't be missed despite how good he was for the organization overall.