Washington’s championship window just took a brutal hit. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during Saturday’s training camp practice, a source told NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche, and the Commanders’ Pro Bowl blocker is expected to need surgery that could sideline him for a significant chunk of the 2026 season. The injury comes just months after Washington signed Tunsil to a two-year, $60.2 million extension, making the timing as painful as the diagnosis itself.
Tunsil, one of the most accomplished left tackles of his generation, was acquired by the Commanders ahead of the 2025 season and quickly validated the price tag Washington paid to get him. He anchored the blind side for a Jayden Daniels-led offense that rode all the way to the NFC Championship Game, cementing his status as one of the league’s premier pass protectors. The two-time first-team All-Pro has made a career out of neutralizing elite edge rushers, and his presence was viewed as non-negotiable for a young quarterback the Commanders are building around.
How the Injury Happened
The injury unfolded during a one-on-one pass-rush drill against Odafe Oweh, according to reporting from ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Oweh worked upfield before bursting back inside, and the two locked up at the point of attack before Tunsil awkwardly disengaged, immediately grabbing at his arm and elbow. He was walked to the medical tent for evaluation before heading back into the Commanders’ training facility for further testing. Those tests confirmed the worst-case outcome: a torn triceps that will likely require surgical repair.
Recovery timelines for triceps tears of this severity typically run from four to seven months, meaning Tunsil’s absence could stretch from the start of the regular season well into the winter. Washington opens its 2026 campaign on September 13 against Philadelphia, and barring a much shorter recovery than doctors typically project, the Commanders will be without their left tackle for that opener and likely much more.
Who Steps In at Left Tackle
The Commanders don’t have to look far for options. Brandon Coleman, a former third-round pick who started at left tackle before Washington traded for Tunsil, has already filled in twice — for three games in 2025 and again to close out the season after Tunsil was hurt late in the year. Coleman had been competing with Chris Paul for the starting left guard job in camp, but that battle now looks secondary to a more pressing need on the edge.
Veteran Andrew Wylie, who re-signed with Washington this offseason, is another name in the mix; ESPN’s Adam Schefter has pointed to him as a likely option at left tackle. There’s also been speculation about shifting right tackle Josh Conerly Jr., a standout blind-side protector at Oregon before Washington drafted him, though that scenario appears less likely for now. Whichever combination general manager Adam Peters lands on, the drop-off in front of Jayden Daniels is real, and it arrives at the worst possible time — just as the Commanders try to build on last year’s breakthrough run. Bettors weighing early Super Bowl odds for Washington should expect this news to move the number.
A Costly Blow to a Rising Contender
Beyond the on-field ramifications, the injury is a financial gut punch for a front office that just committed big money to Tunsil’s long-term future in Washington. The extension was meant to lock down the blind side for years to come after a stellar debut season with the team; instead, it now looks like a well-paid insurance policy the Commanders will need before it ever pays off in wins. Washington will lean on its depth and scheme up front while monitoring Coleman’s transition back outside, all with an eye on how much of the season Tunsil ultimately misses. For a roster with real Super Bowl aspirations after last year’s playoff run, protecting Daniels without its best lineman is now the single biggest challenge of training camp.
