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

The Washington Commanders’ offseason investment just turned into a nightmare. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during Saturday’s training camp practice and is expected to need surgery, a blow that could sideline him for a significant chunk — possibly all — of the 2026 season. For a team leaning on a healthy Jayden Daniels to bounce back from a disastrous 2025, losing its blindside protector before a single preseason snap is about as bad as it gets.

Tunsil, a five-time Pro Bowler, has anchored the left side of Washington’s offensive line since arriving via trade from the Houston Texans last year, starting all 14 games he played in 2025. The Commanders made him one of the highest-paid players at his position this offseason, signing him to a two-year, $60.2 million extension in March that included a record $32.5 million signing bonus and $52.65 million fully guaranteed. At an average of $30.1 million per season, it made the 32-year-old the first offensive tackle in NFL history to clear the $30 million mark annually — a clear signal of how central he was supposed to be to Washington’s plans.

How the Injury Happened

Tunsil was hurt early in Saturday’s practice during a one-on-one pass-rush drill against outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, the Commanders’ big free-agent addition this offseason on a four-year, $100 million deal. Oweh worked upfield before cutting back inside and driving into Tunsil’s upper body, and the veteran tackle immediately grabbed his arm in pain. He was taken to the medical tent for an initial look, then escorted into the team facility for further evaluation. An MRI later that day confirmed the torn triceps.

Recovery from a torn triceps typically runs four to seven months, which puts Tunsil’s return to game action squarely in doubt for large stretches of the 2026 slate. Washington opens its season on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 13, and there’s no realistic scenario in which Tunsil is ready by then. It’s also the second injury issue Tunsil has dealt with in less than two seasons in Washington — he battled an oblique problem last season that cost him time down the stretch, on top of missing games with a hamstring injury.

What It Means for Jayden Daniels and the Offense

The timing could hardly be worse. Washington went 12-5 and reached the NFC Championship Game in 2024, but a 2025 season riddled with injuries — including Daniels missing 10 games with multiple ailments, Terry McLaurin battling through a quad issue, and Austin Ekeler tearing his Achilles — dragged the team down to 5-12. Now the front office has to figure out how to protect its franchise quarterback without arguably its best offensive lineman for a season that was supposed to mark a return to contention.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, veteran Andrew Wylie is the likely next man up at left tackle, while 2025 first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr. holds down the right tackle spot. Brandon Coleman, who started at left tackle for Washington last season when Tunsil was out, has already been shifted to guard this offseason, complicating the shuffle further. With more than a month before the opener, Commanders coaches will use camp and preseason games to sort out the pass-protection puzzle in front of Daniels, who himself is working back from a dislocated elbow suffered last year.

Whatever combination Washington settles on, replacing a player of Tunsil’s caliber isn’t simple. He’s spent his career as one of the league’s premier pass protectors, and losing him for an extended stretch adds pressure to every other piece of the line — and to a passing game that leans heavily on Daniels having time to operate. Bettors tracking Washington’s NFL odds should expect the offensive line uncertainty to weigh on the Commanders’ outlook until a clearer starting five emerges from camp.

For now, the Commanders are left waiting on further testing and a clearer surgical plan before they know exactly how much of the season Tunsil will miss. What’s already clear is that a team hoping to erase a nightmare 2025 just lost one of its most important building blocks before training camp even reached full speed.