Washington Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during training camp drills and is expected to miss most or all of the upcoming season. The five-time Pro Bowler’s absence forces a major offensive line shuffle to protect quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Laremy Tunsil Injury Forces Major Lineup Shuffle for Washington
The Washington Commanders face a massive offensive hurdle after left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills against Odafe Oweh. Tunsil left the field after the 1-on-1 with Odafe Oweh and was taken to the team facility for evaluation. An MRI showed he tore his triceps which will likely require surgery. He is expected to miss most, or all, of his second season with the Commanders.
The loss deals a heavy blow to a squad preparing for the upcoming season. Tunsil, a five-time Pro Bowler, was preparing for his second season with Washington after signing a massive two-year, $60.2 million extension in March that reestablished him as the highest-paid left tackle in the league, anchoring an offense built around quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Five-time Pro Bowl LT Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps in practice during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills.
Brandon Coleman Position Switch and Alternative Options
The big question everyone wanted answered yesterday was who would replace Tunsil at LT. Andrew Wylie replaced him in practice yesterday, but he has only played 5 snaps there in his career. Brandon Coleman was Washington’s starting LT during his rookie season in 2024 and he filled in for Tunsil for the last three games of the 2025 season. The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala reports that the plan is for Coleman to move back to his former position of LT to take over the starting job.
Coleman had been in a training camp battle with Chris Paul for the starting LG position. Coleman started last season at LG, before ceding the starting role to Paul for the remainder of the games. Coleman has started 18 games at LT for the Commanders, and will now enter his third season getting time at the position. Brandon Coleman, a 2024 third-round pick, also spent time at left tackle for Washington before Tunsil’s arrival and in spot starts, though he has been utilized as a guard ahead of this season.
There was speculation that GM Adam Peters could bring in a free agent like Taylor Decker, or move second-year OT Josh Conerly Jr to his college position on the left side. Washington could still bring in a veteran for competition, but for now, the job is Coleman’s. Andrew Wylie, who has lined up all along offensive lines in the past with both the Commanders and Chiefs, is a candidate to swing over to left tackle, with Josh Conerly Jr. manning right tackle.
Offensive Protection Stakes for Jayden Daniels
The protection scheme takes on heightened urgency given the physical toll signal-caller Jayden Daniels experienced throughout last season. Tunsil was arguably Washington’s second-most important piece of the offense behind Jayden Daniels, considering he was entrusted with protecting the quarterback’s blindside and is one of the premier left tackles in the NFL. The task of watching Daniels’ back after the signal-caller experienced multiple injuries throughout last season now falls to someone else as the Commanders will be forced to reshuffle their offensive line.
Whatever the solution, it won’t nearly provide the same protection sans Tunsil. The Commanders will have to give it a go without him and hope he can potentially return at some point down the line in the 2026 season.
Keep reading