Breer
"• The second question is what happened with Tunsil that made him expendable.
Tunsil, to be clear, is well-liked in the Texans’ building. That said, he isn’t a tone-setter, and the offensive line room in Houston last year went the wrong way, becoming borderline toxic, which adds context to the trade of Kenyon Green and the release of Shaq Mason. That’s part of why the Texans figured they probably wouldn’t give him a third top-of-the-market extension in 2026 after having paid him in ’20 (three years, $66 million) and again in ’23 (three years, $75 million).
So with his 31st birthday in August, Houston spent the past few weeks quietly measuring trade interest in Tunsil, and eventually found the right deal—the price they received for the 10-year vet is roughly the equivalent of a late first-round pick in the form of the aforementioned swap of the tackle and a fourth-round pick for a third- and seventh- round selections this year, and second- and fourth-rounders in ’26.
That gives them resources to find Tunsil’s replacement, if it’s not someone on the roster such as Tytus Howard or Blake Fisher. Will they be able to get a suitable one? How this trade looks in five years rides on it.
And while we’re on the big picture, there’s an element of that in this move for the Texans. DeMeco Ryans has kind of makeup he wants on his defense now, with young stars such as Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. carrying the flag. He’s still trying to find it on offense, and the hope is turning over the roster some on that side—and finding new leaders—helps.
That, by the way, doesn’t mean the Commanders are barking up the wrong tree here. Just as the Texans are betting on their ability to find new pieces for their line, Washington is gambling on its culture with this move, and that putting Tunsil in a group with guys such as Daniels and McLaurin will get the best out of him. Remember, the sorts of questions that exist here on Tunsil were once there on Trent Williams. Peters was part of the group that landed him as a result in San Francisco five years ago, and we know how that turned out."