Former Commanders trade was a major mistake for Washington

Trent Williams earned his 12th Pro Bowl selection this week, a reminder of the 2020 trade that still looms over the franchise despite Laremy Tunsil's arrival.

Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Washington Commanders helmet on the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Some of the decisions made by the old regime before Adam Peters and Dan Quinn arrived are still haunting the Washington Commanders years later.

While injuries played a major role in the Commanders' struggles this season, lingering roster decisions, particularly one major trade from 2020, have also caught up with the franchise.

Back when Ron Rivera was head coach, Washington made a pivotal move ahead of the 2020 season, trading left tackle Trent Williams to the San Francisco 49ers. The issue was never Williams’ on-field performance.

San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Dispute led to pivotal trade

Instead, a dispute with the franchise led to Williams sitting out the entire 2019 season after being listed on the non-football injury list.

Ultimately, the organization and Williams were unable to repair the relationship, resulting in a trade that sent him to San Francisco for a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick, selections Washington later used on Keith Ismael and Benjamin St Juste.

Fast forward to the arrival of Jayden Daniels in Washington, who had an impressive rookie season. Despite the Commanders' success in the 2024 season, they knew they needed to make changes, like bolstering the offensive line, and addressed it by acquiring left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans.

Tunsil dominates without recognition

Tunsil has started all but one game for Washington since arriving via trade and has been dominant as a pass blocker. He earned an 88.9 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranks second in the NFL among offensive tackles with 200 or more pass blocking snaps.

Despite that level of production, Tunsil was not selected to the Pro Bowl this season.

Meanwhile, Williams continued to dominate in San Francisco. From 2021 to 2023, he earned four consecutive Pro Bowl selections and three straight All-Pro honors. He failed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time in over a decade in 2024, mainly due to missing seven games. Even so, his impact on the 49ers' offensive line has been undeniable, giving San Francisco one of the league’s premier tackles for several seasons.

Congrats! We let him go for a box of popcorn. pic.twitter.com/ZXTeaYM0Jb

— Jay Gruden (@Coach_JayGruden) December 24, 2025

Williams joins elite company

This season, Williams was selected to his 12th Pro Bowl, becoming just the fourth player in NFL history to reach that milestone, joining Bruce Matthews, Randall McDaniel, and Will Shields.

In the end, the Trent Williams trade remains a clear example of how organizational decisions can linger long after they are made. As Washington moves forward under Peters and Quinn, the hope is that lessons from the past will lead to better long-term roster decisions and prevent cornerstone players from becoming costly what ifs.

READ MORE: Commanders coordinator remains coy about future amid coaching rumors

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