How trading Laremy Tunsil was ‘really tough’ for Texans, DeMeco Ryans denies reports of toxic culture: ‘Very incorrect’

PALM BEACH, Fla. – How the Texans ultimately made the difficult decision to trade five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders was primarily a choice regarding valuable draft capital and making significant financial investments in young players like All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

Tunsil was traded to the Commanders along with a 2025 fourth-round pick in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick, 2026 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round selection. Multiple league sources with direct knowledge of why Tunsil was traded emphasized to KPRC 2 that this was primarily a financially-motivated decision along with a desire to acquire valuable draft capital coupled with the star lineman’s desire for a new top-of-the-market deal. Tunsil, a team captain for the Texans, was and is well-respected in the locker room and highly regarded for his play. Turning 31 in August, though. Tunsil’s value for potential trades could have dipped considerably within the next year.

“Trading Laremy was really tough,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday morning at the annual NFL owners meetings at The Breakers. “There’s nothing easy about that because Laremy is such a great player. Put the tape on Sunday and he’s arguably one of the best one-on-one pass protectors in the NFL, so it’s hard to lose a player of his caliber, but at the same time it was a trade we felt was beneficial to both parties. We were able to get quality draft picks out of the trade and send Laremy to a really good team as well. I think we both benefited from the trade, but it’s going to be hard to replace him as well.”

Addressing the dramatic offseason move and the overhaul of the offensive line for the first time, Ryans strongly denied reports of a toxic culture within the position group. While the Texans struggled mightily to protect quarterback C.J. Stroud as he was sacked 52 times during the regular season and 11 more times in the playoffs with just 2 1/2 sacks yielded by Tunsil, one of the top pass blockers in the league, there wasn’t dissension in the ranks with the players.

“I think our guys in that room they competed, they battled,” Ryans said. “It didn’t go always how we wanted it to go, but there was nothing toxic in the room. Those guys showed up to work every day and those guys were a tight group. They went out to dinners throughout the week. I don’t know where that report came from, but it’s very incorrect. There’s nothing in our building and nothing that I stand for as head coach of the team that we bring in the right people we bring ingood guys and all those guys are great guys.”

The Texans fired offensive line coach Chris Strausser along with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, replacing Strausser by promoting assistant offensive line coach Cole Popovich, a protege of former New England Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, to head offensive line coach and run game coordinator, and replaced Slowik with former Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Nick Caley.

Among the factors in Strausser’s dismissal, besides him leaning toward retiring from coaching over the past few years, was an unwillingness to listen to input from players and staff, according to league sources.

Caley and Popovich are both former Patriots assistant coaches under Bill Belichick.

“Having one voice with Cole Popovich, Cole is a good offensive line coach,” Ryans said. “The thing for me is having an offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in Cole ad Caley, they’ve worked together before. They’ve spent a lot of time together. The flow of information, it sped up drastically. We’re not trying to see how we’re going to do things. We know how we’re going to do it, and now our players will get that communication clearly and direct and now our guys can go out and execute exactly what we’re coaching.”

Trading Tunsil when he wanted a new contract and was already due a combined $42 million over the next two seasons created resources to reward Stingley with a three-year, $90 million extension in new money with $89 million guaranteed that makes him the highest paid cornerback in the game. The Texans also extended Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter with a one-year, $35.6 million deal that includes a total payout of $55.1 million with $54.1 million over the next two seasons.

A year ago, the Texans signed Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins to a three-year, $75 million extension.

When the Texans draft and develop players that have established themselves, they’re going to pay what it takes to retain them and make them happy.

“For Stingley’s extension, I think everybody could see the message there,” Ryans said. “We want to send a message to all of our young guys when you do it the right way, guys like Stingley Nico young guys who came in and played really well for us they became top players in the league at their positions, you want to reward those guys.

“You want everyone to see we’re going to reward guys for doing it the right way. Nothing to do with Laremy. It’s still tough to lose Laremy. It’s hard to lose Laremy. Everybody understands that Laremy is a good player. We’re not trying to turn away good players but it was a difficult one to do but one we felt was in the best interest of our team.

The Texans acquired veteran left tackle Cam Robinson as the replacement for Tunsil on a one-year, $14.5 million deal, signed former Pro Bowl guard Laken Tomlinson to a one-year, $5 million deal, cut right guard Shaq Mason after a rough season where he play regressed drastically, traded disappointing former first-round guard Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles for safety C.J. Gardner Johnson, traded for guard Ed Ingram from the Minnesota Vikings and added massive swing tackle Trent Brown on a one-year, $3 million deal.

If the season started today, the Texans offensive line could look like this: Robinson at left tackle, Tomlinson or Tytus Howard at left guard, Jarrett Patterson at center, Juice Scruggs or Ingram at right guard, Blake Fisher or Howard at right tackle.

The Texans plan to institute a lot more competition across the offensive line. No one is guaranteed anything is the overriding message.

“In free agency, you see we’ve added a few offensive linemen, Cam Robinson, Trent Brown, Ed Ingram, Laken Tomlinson,” Ryans said. “The idea behind adding those guys was to just add some veteran guys who have played for a while have done it the right way, guys play hard and really wanted to enhance competition in the room. We have a good core of young guys, some veteran guys. With the mix of guys, the messaging to everyone is let’s see who our best five on the team will be. Let’s see what that competition will make of us. Competition, to me, it makes you better. The idea behind the moves we made was to improve our offensive line and get everyone better.”

Traded previously from the Miami Dolphins, the former first-round draft pick from Mississippi twice reset the elite tackle market with trend-setting contracts with the Texans.

Now, Tunsil, 30, said his conversations with general manager Nick Caserio and Ryans left him with only one impression about the organization: a positive one.

The Texans are committed to taking care of the young talent on the roster that includes him, quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. Having Tunsil on the books would have made those financial goals much more difficult. Stroud and Anderson will be eligible for new deals next year after the two former first-round picks and Pro Bowl selections complete the third year of their respective rookie contracts.

“They just paid Stingley, they gave that boy that bag, so I truly understand it,” Tunsil said during his introductory press conference with the Commanders. “At the end of the day, it’s a business. I don’t take anything personal. It’s no hard feelings against the Houston Texans. I thank them for everything they did for me and my family to changing my life. I get it.”

Tunsil allowed just 2 1/2 sacks last season, according to Next Gen Stats. He was disappointed by his league-high 19 penalties. There was no question, though, that Tunsil can still play at an extremely high level.

“I can make a huge impact,” Tunsil said. “Pass protector, damn good run blocker.”

He’s now the blindside protector for star quarterback Jayden Daniels.

“I damn sure can’t wait to block for Jayden Daniels,” Tunsil said. “He’s a baller. It seems like he’s a better dude. I can’t wait. He’s gonna make my job hella easy.”

Tunsil acknowledged, though, that last season wasn’t a good one for the offensive line.

Stroud took eight sacks and 14 quarterback hits in an AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“We could have done a lot of things better, myself included,” Tunsil said. “We could have protected C.J. better. It’s a lot of things that played a part in what happened last year, but, again, I just can’t take it personal. I honestly think it was just a business move to try to pay the young guys. I don’t think it was off the play from last year.”

Tunsil is due a $20.95 million base salary this year and next year.

The Commanders may want to get to the negotiating table with Tunsil. His desire for a new deal isn’t a secret.

“The front office knows where I stand,” Tunsil said. “We’re just going to keep it in-house. But they know where I stand.”

Tunsil broke his silence on the trade with a lengthy statement where he thanked the city of Houston. Notably, he didn’t reference the Texans or the trade or the Commanders. Instead, the former Texans team captain focused on emotions and his personal growth.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but from the moment I arrived, this city embraced me and my family with open arms,” Tunsil wrote on social media. “Houston became more than just a place I played football it became home. Over the years, I’ve grown not just as a player, but as a man, and this city will always hold a special place in my heart. Being part of this community has been an honor.

“From working with the Urban Enrichment Institute to supporting the Gracewood Foundation for single mothers, Second Servings Houston, etc., I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the strength, resilience, and generosity that make this city so special. Thank you for allowing me to contribute to something greater than the game and for giving me the opportunity to give back to the place that has given me so much. Houston, you welcomed me as one of your own, and for that, I will always be grateful. With love, LT.”

The Tunsil trade surprised and disappointed some Texans players.

The trade created $13.85 million in immediately salary cap savings. In terms of cash, the Texans take $42.7 million off the books in 2025 and 2026 combined.

Tunsil impressively shut out Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, a Pro Bowl selection, former top overall pick and consensus All-American from Texas A&M regarded as one of the top defensive players in the NFL. Tunsil, entering a playoff matchup two seasons ago, had allowed just one pressure in 40 matchups with Garrett since 2018, according to NextGen Stats, for a 2.5 percent pressure rate that represents Garrett’s worst against any offensive tackle in a playoff victory.

“I think his athletic ability is elite,” former NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger said in a telephone interview with KPRC 2. “It’s just the consistency. Laremy is really good at tying his guy up and not allowing penetration in the backfield. He maintains his mentality. He has composure. He dealt with years of losing. Some guy can’t handle it. Laremy did.”

And Tunsil moves forward now in the NFC East.

“I think I can make a huge impact, quickly honestly,” Tunsil said. “In my opinion, they traded me for that reason: to make a huge impact on my team. I’m down to do whatever they want me to do.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.