Washington Commanders Face Loss of Key Player Laremy Tunsil

The Washington Commanders will face a challenging period without one of their key players. Head coach Dan Quinn announced on Monday that the franchise’s left tackle, Laremy Tunsil, requires surgery for a torn triceps and will be sidelined indefinitely. Quinn expressed, “It’s always tough to talk about a player missing time, and especially a great player like LT. He is an absolutely fantastic teammate, and he’ll be missed. We certainly can’t wait to get him back.”

The 32-year-old Tunsil was injured during an individual drill on Saturday against pass rusher Odafe Oweh. He went down, took a knee, and was quickly taken to the facility after consulting with the training staff.

Tunsil recently became the highest-paid tackle in the NFL when he signed a two-year, $60.2 million extension, earning $30 million annually. Drafted 13th overall by the Miami Dolphins, Tunsil has been a five-time Pro Bowler and played three seasons in Miami before being traded to the Houston Texans in 2019. After six seasons with the Texans, the Commanders acquired him last season, where he appeared in 14 games.

Quinn acknowledged the player’s current performance level, stating, “He is really on the top of his game right now, both in the run and pass, this is an equally strong player, and so it’s a big deal.”

With Tunsil out, the Commanders will turn to Brandon Coleman as the replacement. Coleman started 12 games at left tackle in his rookie year in 2024 and performed well. Last year, he made three starts at the position. Quinn noted, “He’s played a lot of winning football at left tackle here, and we know that he’s ready for it. He’s put in an excellent offseason, and the team is very confident in him.”

The Commanders plan to give Coleman an extended opportunity in Tunsil’s position, while Andrew Wylie will continue in his role as backup swing tackle. Quinn consulted with general manager Adam Peters and stated they don’t plan to seek additional help in free agency at this time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.