While the focus was on Laremy Tunsil's trade, the compensation attached, and the backlash he received from sections of the media about skipping voluntary OTAs, most associated with the Washington Commanders missed the bigger picture.
It's something that could shape the franchise's future for good or bad.
The Commanders felt like this offseason was the time to strike. Adam Peters was ultra-aggressive, making two bold trades and signing several key veteran free agents with the scope to help immediately.
None could be more important than Tunsil.
The five-time Pro Bowl left tackle was acquired in a bombshell trade at great expense. This is the game-changing blindside enforcer Washington's missed greatly since inexplicably mismanaging Trent Williams' situation before shipping him to the San Francisco 49ers for pennies on the dollar.
Commanders could be facing another massive contract conundrum with Laremy Tunsil
There's an extra caveat attached, one that's gone relatively under the radar compared to most storylines around Tunsil. His contract has two more years left and is pretty cheap compared to most elite-level offensive tackles around the league. The former first-round pick out of Ole Miss hasn't made things difficult yet, but that might be coming soon if he performs as expected in 2025.
This subject was discussed in greater detail by John Keim from ESPN. The Commanders' insider hinted that Tunsil could demand a substantial amount if everything goes well, and Peters should be willing to pay in pursuit of keeping Washington's new bookend tackle tandem intact.
"For a five-time Pro Bowler, he's prohibitively affordable in 2026, with a cap hit of only $21.5 million -- currently 14th among offensive tackles. Washington drafted tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round, and he will play on the right side. At some point in his career, he could shift to left tackle. Still, the bigger question for [Laremy] Tunsil is what kind of extension would he receive if he plays as they anticipate this season? After all, the Commanders also could have their bookends for a while -- providing high-level protection for [Jayden] Daniels."
John Keim
Tunsil counts $21.35 million in the final year of his deal in 2026. There is no guaranteed money attached. Therefore, a holdout is almost guaranteed if the Commanders don't work something out beforehand.
That's a problem Peters could do without.
This will come down to performance. The Commanders want Tunsil to maintain his Pro Bowl standards as an exceptional pass protector and solid run blocker. They need his penalty numbers to come down. They also need the edge force to lead by example, helping rookie Josh Conerly Jr. fulfill his promise sooner than expected.
If Tunsil achieves these feats, a new deal won't be too far behind.
