Laremy Tunsil Suffers Torn Triceps, Commanders Left Tackle Faces Surgery and Extended Absence

The Washington Commanders suffered a brutal blow to their offensive line on Saturday when star left tackle Laremy Tunsil went down with a torn triceps during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills at training camp. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche, Tunsil will likely require surgery and is expected to miss a significant portion, if not all, of the 2026 regular season.

Tunsil suffered the injury while trying to block free-agent pass rusher Odafe Oweh, immediately drawing concern on the practice field before he was helped to the medical tent and later escorted back to the team facility for further evaluation. The 32-year-old five-time Pro Bowler had emerged as one of the best left tackles in football after Washington acquired him in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans before the 2025 season, sending Houston a package that included second, third, fourth and seventh-round draft picks across the 2025 and 2026 drafts.

A Devastating Financial and Football Hit

The timing could hardly be worse for Washington. Tunsil turned in arguably the best season of his career in 2025 protecting quarterback Jayden Daniels’ blind side, and the Commanders rewarded him this past March with a two-year, $60.2 million contract extension that included $52.65 million fully guaranteed, making him the highest-paid offensive tackle in NFL history at the time. Despite the injury, Tunsil is still guaranteed to collect the bulk of that money — he stands to earn $34.35 million in 2026 alone, including a $32.5 million signing bonus and $1.495 million base salary, even if he doesn’t play a single snap this year.

This marks the second significant injury Tunsil has dealt with in less than two seasons in Washington. He missed three games in 2025 with a hamstring issue that also forced him out of the lineup late in the year. Pro Football Focus has noted that Tunsil is among the NFL’s 10 most penalized players since 2021, but his overall play graded out among the league’s elite tackles last season, which is precisely why his absence is being treated as a five-alarm fire inside the Commanders’ building.

Who Replaces Tunsil at Left Tackle

Washington moved quickly to fill the void in practice, immediately turning to veteran Andrew Wylie, who has spent most of his nine-year career on the right side of the line but has served as Tunsil’s primary backup throughout camp. Wylie won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs and has starting experience at guard and right tackle, but he has played only a handful of career snaps at left tackle.

The more natural long-term fix appears to be third-year lineman Brandon Coleman, who started 12 games at left tackle as a rookie in 2024 before Washington acquired Tunsil and shifted him to left guard. Coleman also started three games at left tackle late last season when Tunsil was sidelined by his hamstring injury, giving him more recent experience at the position than anyone else on the roster. He entered training camp locked in a battle with Chris Paul for the starting left guard job, so sliding him back outside would create a ripple effect across the interior line as well.

Second-year right tackle Josh Conerly Jr., Washington’s first-round pick in 2025, played left tackle at Oregon and has been mentioned as a potential option to slide over, though most analysts believe keeping him anchored at right tackle and building around Coleman or Wylie makes more sense than disrupting a player who is coming off a strong offseason. The Commanders also added tackle Jonah Petit-Frere just hours before Tunsil’s injury, though his lack of camp reps could limit his readiness to step in immediately. Free agents Taylor Decker and Cam Robinson remain available on the open market as experienced left tackle options if Washington decides it needs outside help.

What It Means for Washington’s Season

The Commanders reached the NFC Championship Game with Coleman starting at left tackle in 2024, so there is precedent for the team competing at a high level without Tunsil in the lineup. Still, losing a five-time Pro Bowler who was signed to be the long-term answer at one of the sport’s most premium positions represents a significant swing in expectations for a Washington team built around protecting Daniels as he continues his development.

The typical recovery timeline for a torn triceps runs anywhere from four to seven months, meaning Tunsil’s return could realistically fall anywhere from midseason to a full-year absence depending on the severity confirmed by upcoming testing and surgery. Washington’s front office and coaching staff now face the task of settling on a five-man offensive line combination over the final weeks of camp and preseason, with the competition at left tackle and left guard likely to dominate the roster conversation right up until the regular season opener.

The uncertainty up front is also worth watching for anyone tracking daily fantasy sports markets this summer, since a shakier offensive line directly affects how bettors and fantasy managers value Daniels and Washington’s skill-position players heading into the season. Bettors weighing early NFL win totals or player props tied to the Commanders should factor the pass-protection questions into their sportsbook research before locking in futures bets.