The Washington Commanders have been left reeling after NFL All-Pro offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil left Saturday’s practice with a torn triceps tendon that could cost him the entire regular season.
The plan now is to move 3rd-year offensive lineman Brandon Coleman into Tunsil’s spot — Coleman started 12 games at left offensive tackle in 2024 before moving to guard — but the Commanders are being urged to consider more options just 1 month from the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
One of those options picking up steam seems to be former Detroit Lions offensive tackle and Pro Bowler Taylor Decker.
“My understanding is that Brandon Coleman is the LT for the season,” Commanders reporter Josh Taylor wrote on his official X account on Sunday. “I haven’t heard anything about adding another player, but I would personally call Taylor Decker immediately. Has a relationship with (David) Blough, and KNOWS the offense already. No brainer.”
First-year Commanders offensive coordinator David Blough was Decker’s teammate as a backup quarterback on the Lions over 4 seasons.
“Taylor Decker remains free and has ties to people here (Blough; Newmark: has been in system),” ESPN’s John Keim wrote on his X account on Sunday. “Don’t know yet if anything is going on there.”
Taylor Decker’s Entire Career Spent in Detroit
Decker, 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, was a 1st-round pick (No. 16 overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft and has played for the Lions for the last decade.
He earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2024, when the Lions went 15-2 and were the NFC’s No. 1 seed. He’s also stacked big money over the last decade and has $101.4 million in career earnings headed into 2025.
In 2025, after Decker’s play declined — his 67.9 overall grade from PFF put him 47th out of 89 NFL offensive tackles — he was released to clear $11.6 million in salary cap space.
“Decker appeared diminished physically at times last year and couldn’t work out a new deal with the Lions when they presumably asked him to take a pay cut,” NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal wrote. “There are warning signs, but he fits the profile as a solid one-year option at a thin position.”
ESPN’s Matt Bowen currently has Decker ranked as the No. 1 available free agent across all positions.
“Decker asked for his release from the Lions after 10 seasons in Detroit,” Bowen wrote on August 5. “In 2025, Decker had a pass block win rate of 89.3%, the second lowest of his career. However, with the toughness and intangibles he brings, he will have a market at a premium position.”
Commanders Devastated by Loss of Laremy Tunsil
Tunsil is 1 of a handful of NFL players who are truly irreplaceable — he’s that good.
The Commanders traded with the Houston Texans to obtain Tunsil before the 2025 season, and he turned in arguably the best season of his career — despite the Commanders going 5-12 — and played his way into a 2-year, $60.2 million contract extension on March 9.
“Sources: Five-time Pro Bowl LT Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps in practice today during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills,” NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo wrote on his official X account on Saturday night. “He’ll likely require surgery and will miss at least a significant portion of the regular season … Tunsil was injured while taking on a bull rush from Odafe Oweh. The Commanders had hoped it wouldn’t be a significant injury but testing this afternoon revealed the extent of the injury. A brutal blow for Washington, which had made Tunsil the highest-paid OL this offseason.”
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