Matt Patterson/Associated Press
In consecutive years, one of the biggest offseason transactions may involve a two-time Pro Bowl tackle. In April, the Baltimore Ravens received a package of draft picks for Orlando Brown—and now the Houston Texans can fetch comparable compensation in exchange for Laremy Tunsil.
The Texans have already promoted defensive coordinator Lovie Smith to replace former head coach David Culley. Going forward, the front office will focus on the roster.
As Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac said on The Bench (h/t Lance Zierlein of NFL.com), trades involving Tunsil, quarterback Deshaun Watson and wideout Brandin Cooks seem “inevitable.”
If the Texans deal any of those players, general manager Nick Caserio would likely look to recoup premium draft capital for the next two years, which leads us back to the trade between the Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs last offseason.
Baltimore dealt Brown, who had two Pro Bowl campaigns at the time, a 2021 second-round pick and a 2022 sixth-rounder to Kansas City for a first-, third-, and fourth-rounder in 2021 along with a fifth-round selection in this year’s draft.
Tunsil has two Pro Bowl nods and will enter his age-28 term with six years of starting experience—all but his rookie season at left tackle. Though he’s coming off an injury-marred campaign, having missed 12 outings because of a torn UCL in his left thumb, the Texans can command a first-round pick from one of the upcoming drafts plus additional selections because of the value of his position and his recent accolades.
Furthermore, in a pre-June 1 trade, the Texans would hold $16.6 million in dead money from Tunsil’s 2022 salary-cap hit, leaving a manageable $9.5 million for the club that acquires him. He’s still under contract for two terms, so his new team would have ample time to work out an extension if he commands it.
What’s a realistic destination for Tunsil in 2022? Let’s take a look at three potential landing spots with trade packages for each scenario.
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe BurrowMarcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
The Cincinnati Bengals have the most obvious case to pursue Tunsil. This past campaign, quarterback Joe Burrow endured a lot of punishment in the pocket, taking 70 sacks (third-most in NFL history) in the regular season and playoffs.
At times, Burrow must get rid of the ball or throw it away to avoid unnecessary hits, but Tunsil can allow him more time in a clean pocket. In 2021, the Bengals offensive line allowed pressure on 24.2 percent of dropbacks (12th-worst).
At 33 years old, right tackle Riley Reiff has an expiring contract, and left tackle Jonah Williams gave up eight sacks in 1,044 snaps.
The Bengals can strengthen the tackle spot with a proven player who is six years younger than Reiff and shift Williams to the right side.
Williams played on both sides of the line in college, and with his solid run blocking, he can clear lanes to spring running back Joe Mixon to the outside.
Burrow isn’t eligible for an extension until the 2023 offseason. In the meantime, with a projected $50.4 million in cap space, Cincinnati could stockpile talent in an aggressive approach to surround him with a quality supporting cast. Instead of selecting a late-first-round tackle, the Bengals can use their Day 1 pick as the centerpiece for a blockbuster deal, which would go a long way toward keeping Burrow upright and healthy.
Trade Package: No. 31 pick, fourth-round pick (No. 134) and 2023 second-round pick for Tunsil and sixth-round pick (No. 181)
Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins left tackle Liam EichenbergWesley Hitt/Getty Images
In September 2019, the Miami Dolphins traded Tunsil to the Texans, a move that jump-started their rebuild under former head coach Brian Flores. Now coming off back-to-back winning seasons with a poor offensive line, general manager Chris Grier should consider a reunion with his first draft pick.
Grier has selected four offensive linemen within the first four rounds of the last two drafts. Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Solomon Kindley and Liam Eichenberg struggled in multiple positions across the line as the previous coaching staff shuffled the personnel to find the right mix.
As a left tackle, Jackson had a rough 2020. This past season, the Dolphins moved him to left guard, and he didn’t show any improvement. Eichenberg took his spot on the outside and logged a couple of starts on the right side as well. He allowed nine sacks and committed 10 penalties in 1,108 snaps.
Grier and new head coach Mike McDaniel must sort out the line to support Tua Tagovailoa, who has an extensive injury history. The second-year signal-caller has already missed 10 games. Secondly, the new skipper saw what a top-notch left tackle (Trent Williams) can do to bolster an offense when McDaniel was the running game coordinator and then the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 and 2021.
Tagovailoa throws with his left arm, but that doesn’t mean the Dolphins should neglect the protection on his strong side. Right now, the offensive line just needs a high-level player to offset the underwhelming additions from the previous draft classes.
Grier can offer the Dolphins’ first-round pick and a couple of Day 2 selections over the next two years for Tunsil. Miami has a projected $62.8 million in cap space, so if Tunsil wants a new deal in the near future, that request wouldn’t pose a major issue.
Trade Package: No. 29 pick, third-round pick (No. 101, via the San Francisco 49ers) and 2023 third-round pick for Tunsil and sixth-round pick (No. 181)
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell WilsonElaine Thompson/Associated Press
The Seattle Seahawks may lose starting tackles Duane Brown and Brandon Shell via free agency.
Brown will turn 37 years old in August, and despite a strong finish to the 2021 campaign, he gave up eight sacks in 969 snaps. Over the past two seasons, Shell has logged most of his snaps at right tackle, but he’s missed 12 contests in that span. Seattle can use some of its projected $34.8 million in cap space for an upgrade at the position.
As the Seahawks communicate with Russell Wilson to keep him in the fold (h/t NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo), general manager John Schneider can put a smile on the quarterback’s face with a new left tackle who can provide solid pass protection. In 2021, Seattle allowed pressure on 27.1 percent of dropbacks, which ranked fifth-worst.
Unlike the Bengals and Dolphins, the Seahawks don’t have a first-round pick in the upcoming draft because of their deal with the New York Jets for safety Jamal Adams. Schneider would likely have to dip into the club’s 2023 draft capital to execute a deal, but Tunsil is worth the cost to satisfy Wilson and fill a major roster void.
Trade Package: Second-round pick (No. 41), third-round pick (No. 72) and 2023 first-round pick for Tunsil and 2023 fifth-round pick
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference. Salary-cap information via Over the Cap.
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