Laremy Tunsil’s Departure Signals Cultural Shift for Texans’ Offensive Line

Laremy Tunsil has been traded in a surprising move that sends him to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a second-, third-, and fourth-round pick swap. This trade not only frees up significant cap space for the Texans but also adds valuable draft capital, allowing them to move up or down in the upcoming draft. With the addition of second-round pick Blake Fisher and the versatility of Tytus Howard—who has experience at both right and left tackle—the Texans now have depth at the position. This trade marks a clear shift in the Texans' offensive line culture, which has struggled with accountability, physicality in the run game, and consistency in pass protection.

A team trading away its best offensive lineman might seem illogical for a struggling unit, but when that player doesn’t align with the cultural foundation, it makes sense. The versatility of Tytus Howard, capable of playing both tackle spots, combined with the investment in young tackle Blake Fisher, makes this move more palatable. It offers stability and flexibility moving forward. After this season, it’s clear that C.J. Stroud needs a more dynamic run game to draw extra defenders into the box and simplify pre-snap reads. Settling for average run blocking is no longer an option. As a result, the Texans couldn’t fully capitalize on Tunsil’s talents as an elite pass-blocking left tackle, making his departure a necessary step in a trade that benefits both teams. By saving $41 million over the next two years, the Texans can now reallocate resources to better build around Stroud’s skill set. Unfortunately, this move was unavoidable.

The Tunsil Trade: A Necessary Step Toward Building a Stronger Texans Offense

In 2025, the Texans must focus on creating as many single-high coverages and stacked boxes as possible to replicate the scenario that led to C.J. Stroud's successful rookie outing. Achieving this is difficult if the team continues to rank among the highest in run-stuff rate and lowest in run-success rate. A more effective running game will not only open up opportunities for Stroud but also help the team win more meaningful games. While Tytus Howard’s game has its flaws, there may be ways to work around them, and it’s easier to scheme around one major cap hit than two, which is why the Texans parted ways with Tunsil. Trading up to acquire linemen who can create explosive plays, drafting running backs to force teams into stacking the box, and selecting another legitimate boundary receiver to complement Nico Collins and Stroud’s deep-ball accuracy all make sense in this draft. This move signals that the organization is being honest about who their quarterback is, and that transparency is the most satisfying thing I’ve seen from the Texans in the past decade. If the offense and Stroud buy in, defense, a strong run game, play-action, and explosive plays will be the key to the Texans’ future success.