Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps during Saturday morning’s training camp practice and will likely need surgery that will sideline him for a large portion of the season, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche reported later that evening.
This is a major blow for the entire team, one that will have a significant and lasting impact on the 2026 campaign.
Tunsil suffered the injury during a 1-on-1 rep with edge rusher Odafe Oweh. He dealt with a bull rush and the pair locked arms, per a fan video of the incident, but Tunsil awkwardly disengaged and immediately clutched his right arm and elbow.
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The five-time Pro Bowler was immediately taken to the medical tent and went with trainers inside the Commanders training complex shortly after for further evaluation.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, who was on-site at Commanders camp, reported that Tunsil would need further testing to inform the extent of the injury. The results came back with bad news.
Tunsil will likely require surgery and his exact recovery timetable remains unknown. Overall, though, the prognosis is not good. If he needs surgery, Tunsil should miss an extended period of the 2026 season. There is a possibility that he misses the whole year, but further evaluation is required before making definitive statements about his recovery.
Reserve offensive lineman Andrew Wylie filled in at left tackle after Tunsil left practice, but he’s not the answer at the position.
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Brandon Coleman was in a camp battle with Chris Paul to be the starting left guard, but he’s likely the best option on the roster to move to left tackle. Coleman made 12 starts at left tackle in 2024, before the Commanders traded for Tunsil in the 2025 offseason, and he filled in for Tunsil for the final three games of last season.
Coleman will surely shift over there in the short term. The Commanders will monitor that performance closely before looking outside the organization for help
General manager Adam Peters gave Tunsil a massive, two-year, $60 million contract extension this offseason, rewarding a stellar 2025 campaign and ensuring that the Tunsil trade wasn’t for a rental. Tunsil is widely considered among the NFL’s elite left tackles, and there is no replacing a player of that caliber. There is certainly no one on the street who could step right in and play at an upper-tier level.
Right tackle Josh Conerly, a 2025 first-round pick and a standout left tackle at Oregon, could switch sides. That scenario seems less likely at this stage — new signing Daniel Brunskill has also played some right tackle — though the Commanders will consider all possible solutions now that the offensive line has lost its anchor for a significant stretch.
What’s your reaction to this news? What should the Commanders do at left tackle with Laremy Tunsil sidelined? Let us know in the comments below:
