Washington Commanders bet big on rebuilt offensive line to fuel 2025 turnaround

When the Washington Commanders traded for former Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil, there were those who applauded the move and some who didn't.

Detractors pointed to Tunsil's high penalty count in 2024, something he owned up to in his introductory press conference after the Commanders traded for him, and the fact that the Texans moved on from him after their offensive line became incredibly suspect last season.

While Washington is hoping Tunsil will prove to be a good part of that bad line and help secure its own, a new Houston lineman spoke recently about the impact a good front unit can have for a team.

Washington Commanders offensive lineman Brandon Coleman (74). | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

What Laken Tomlinson said about offensive line chemistry

"I believe offensive line could be the strength of a team," new Texans guard Laken Tomlinson toldTexans Radio in an interview posted last week. "Those guys come out, they're grinders, man. They want to be the backbone, the foundation of the team. So when you can have that for a team, you can go very far, man. I've seen in the past, I've been a part of it, and I'm excited to be able to exercise that here."

That isn't to say Tunsil wasn't a grinder, and Tomlinson isn't talking about the differences between a squad he wasn't a part of and one he is now, just pointing out how valuable a strong line can be.

And he makes a good point.

While Washington had a better unit than Houston did in 2024, there was still much room for improvement. Because of it, we saw general manager Adam Peters not only add Tunsil to the mix, but select Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Adding to them, Peters also dipped into free agency to find veteran help in Nate Herbig who is expected to compete for primary rotational duty and potentially to be the Commanders' backup center behind Tyler Biadasz.

A reshuffled line could feature four new starters in 2025

With all the shuffling, second-year lineman Brandon Coleman appears to be moving inside to left guard after manning the left tackle position last year, while last season's left guard Nick Allegretti has been seen securing the right side where injured star Sam Cosmi normally lines up.

When it is all said and done, after bringing in three new starters for their offensive line in 2024, the 2025 version might have four, including Allegretti moving to a new starting position.

Why training camp will be critical for Washington’s front five

That fact makes training camp and joint practices even more valuable, providing the new starting five opportunities to get better together.

"When you have those five guys out there, they've got to be able to operate as a unit, so the more exposure you have around the guys, it's just better for the offensive line and the team," Tomlinson added.

Exposure is exactly what Washington needs for its offensive line, and with Tunsil on board, it is hopeful what gets exposed is a better version of itself in 2025.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 offseason.

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