Washington Commanders starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil named among the best players during the 2025 NFL season.
The Washington Commanders made a pair of splash moves last offseason after trading for both wide receiver Deebo Samuel and left tackle Laremy Tunsil, and fast forward one year later, the pair of veteran additions proved to be impactful pieces in 2025.
And ESPN agreed, at least with one, with Tunsil ranked the 24th best player during the 2025 NFL season, along with the second-best offensive tackle behind Denver's star and first-team All Pro Garett Bolles. Tunsil marked the Commanders' lone selection.
Tunsil already arrived in Washington viewed as one of the best tackles across the NFL and his first season protecting what proved to be a rotating starting quarterback room cemented exactly that, grading as the third-best pass blocker per PFF. Tunsil allowed just two hits and sacks in nearly 500 snaps during the 2025 season, tied with Texans tackle Tytus Howard as the fourth-highest graded tackle in efficiency across the league.
While a prominent offseason question now becomes whether a second season will materialize with wide receiver Deebo Samuel with a chance to cash in as one of the top available free agent wide receivers this offseason, one of the several questions this offseason is whether the Commanders work out a contract extension with the veteran tackle entering the final year of his three year, $75 million deal that was agreed to during his time with the Houston Texans.
General manager Adam Peters expressed optimism about an extension after noting the two sides were in "constant communication" with Tunsil self represented.
"He has a team around him that we have constant communication with and have throughout the year. So I think what I can say is we definitely want to get something done with them sooner rather than later," Peters said in the end of season press conference.
The optimism came roughly one month after Tunsil expressed interest in returning to Washington under head coach Dan Quinn.
"I want to play for [Dan Quinn] as long as I can. He's become one of my favorite coaches that I had in the league. It's fun to follow a guy like that," Tunsil said in December. "As he leads, it's not like a hard-ass or like cussing players out or anything, it's more of just like teaching, you know, talking, letting you be free and giving you the freedom to like to be a professional."
One year after spending a first round pick on right tackle Josh Conerly, a chance to re-sign guard Chris Paul and extend Laremy Tunsil could give the Commanders two more critical pieces in the trenches to cement hopeful long-term plans to protect quarterback Jayden Daniels. But it's going to cost, as former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury joked midseason.
"The play speaks for itself. It'd be hard to find one who has played better at that position this season. He's gonna get a lot of money," he said in early December.
Washington will enter April's NFL draft with limited capital, largely due to the offseason acquisition of Tunsil, but it's proven to be a worthwhile investment with a chance for the front office to now lock him in as a cornerstone piece in the trenches.