Tag: Laremy Tunsil

Players react quickly to NFL’s new (and ridiculous) COVID safety protocols

The NFL issued a set of safety protocols to contend with the coronavirus pandemic. Let’s just say it didn’t go over well with the players.

To put it kindly, the NFL has not always been on the vanguard of player safety. One only has to go back to the league’s history regarding head trauma to confirm that. So, it should come as no surprise that as the league tries to manage the possibility of a safe season in the middle of an increasing coronavirus pandemic, there have been bumps along the way. NFLPA president and Browns center J.C. Tretter has addressed this at length, and two new rulings that came down from the league office on Thursday met with immediate derision from NFL players.

First, there’s the new rule against players exchanging jerseys after games, which seems hilarious after those same players have been crashing into each other for three hours.

49ers cornerback Richard Sherman led the charge on this series of reactions, and he’s entirely correct.

Sherman’s teammate, tight end George Kittle, was similarly perplexed.

Panthers receiver D.J. Moore was quite succinct on the subject.

And Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who knows a thing or two about wearing masks (badumching), had this to say:

Of course, this is a ridiculous rule, and seems to be more about limiting player expression than anything else.

Then, there was a second rule which makes even less sense, if that’s at all possible.

Okay, so… we’re  practicing social distancing when it comes to jersey exchanges, but we’re letting coaches and players interact on the sidelines without masks? And everyone else on the sideline has to wear a mask? Say what? There is no way to do the math on this and make it work.

The NFL is less than a month away from having training camps open on its particular schedule, and the fact that the league is throwing weird stuff like this out in the open when it comes to the absolutely vital aspect of player safety looms large when we talk about a 2020 NFL season starting on time, surviving a 16-game regular season and subsequent postseason, or existing at all. And having the players this up in arms about it does not bode well for the agreements that will need to take place before those players will take the field.

Pro Football Focus snubs Texans tackles on best OT duo list

Houston Texans tackles Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard were left off of Pro Football Focus’ list of the top-5 tackle duos in the NFL.

The Houston Texans offensive line demonstrated marked improvement, and some individual players have been highlighted in the offseason for their efforts. However, the unit still may not be receiving the accolades it deserves.

In Pro Football Focus’ recent best tackle duos list, Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil and right tackle Tytus Howard were left off the five-combo list. Tunsil and Howard didn’t even qualify as honorable mentions as that went to the San Francisco 49ers’ Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey.

The New Orleans Saints’ Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk made No. 1. The Dallas Cowboys’ Tyron Smith and La’el Collins claimed No. 2. The Baltimore Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown were No. 3.

If the Texans were to have made the list, No. 4 would have been an equitable position.

The Indianapolis Colts’ pair of Anthony Castonzo and Braden Smith landed in the fourth spot. Ben Linsey explained why the 31-year-old returning for his 10th NFL season was key for the Colts’ offensive line.

One of the more underrated developments this offseason was Castonzo’s decision to hold off on retirement and return to what has become one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. Castonzo hasn’t been selected to a Pro Bowl in his nine-year NFL career, but he has consistently been one of the better pass-blocking left tackles in the game while still providing solid play in the run game. He has finished with an overall grade below 76.9 only once in his career, his rookie 2011 season, and he’s one of just eight tackles to put up pass-blocking grades of 80.0 or higher in each of the past two seasons on 250 or more pass-blocking snaps. His return is big for the Colts in their pursuit of an AFC South title.

Guess who was selected to his first career Pro Bowl after four seasons in the NFL, and was dealt to his new team a week before the regular season. Hint: this individual signed a contract extension worth $22 million this offseason, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL.

There shouldn’t be an argument that Tunsil is a better left tackle than Castonzo. If the Colts were to secure No. 4 over the Texans, it would have to be with the play at right tackle.

Smith, meanwhile, impressed from a grading perspective in his second season out of Auburn this past season. He still has some things to work on in pass protection — finishing the 2019 season with a 68.1 pass-blocking grade — but his 86.4 run-blocking grade was one of the best marks in the NFL. Considering young tackles generally don’t reach their peaks until three or four years into their careers, Smith’s improvement from 2018 to 2019 bodes well for his prospects in 2020. The results we saw from him as a run-blocker certainly bode well for Marlon Mack and the newly acquired Jonathan Taylor on the ground, too.

Just on availability alone, Smith has proven to be a better right tackle than Howard. In 2019, the former first-round pick from Alabama State played in a total of eight games; half of his rookie year was marred with injury, and the tandem of Roderick Johnson and Chris Clark filled in. Meanwhile, Smith started all 16 games at right tackle for Indianapolis.

If Tunsil and Howard can each stay healthy in 2020, then it should be apparent the duo is one of the best tackle tandems in the NFL.

Texans LT Laremy Tunsil claims a spot on NFL.com’s all-analytics team

Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil earned a spot on NFL.com’s all-analytics team.

The Houston Texans have the best left tackle in the game in Laremy Tunsil.

According to analytics guru Cynthia Frelund at NFL.com, the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL is also the best blindside protector.

The tricky part about measuring production at any position on the O-line is that the sum influences each individual component. Sometimes this works in favor of my win-contribution metric, as one player really stands out, with his production shifting the output of the entire unit upward significantly. PFF rates Tunsil as the third-highest tackle in pass blocking (among those with a minimum of 300 snaps), having only allowed 29 pressures in 656 pass-pro snaps (including playoffs). My computer vision metrics add that his individual impact in pass and run snaps combined for the highest win-contribution metric among left tackles by a slim margin. This also increased the Texans’ overall O-line production according to my computer vision from right near the bottom in 2018 to 19th overall last season.

Speaking of “sum influences each individual component,” the Texans will benefit from having the sum total of their starting offensive line return in 2020. Tunsil shouldn’t be plagued with false starts now that he will have a full training camp to work with his teammates as opposed to one full week before the regular season.

Texans LT Laremy Tunsil may not keep ‘highest paid offensive lineman’ title for very long

The Houston Texans’ Laremy Tunsil may not hold the title of “highest paid offensive lineman” if Baltimore Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley has his way.

The Houston Texans have the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL with left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who signed a three-year, $66 million contract extension with the AFC South champions.

However, that title may not stay long with Tunsil, though the Texans will be saddled with the cost for the next three years.

Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley told reporters that he “wants to be paid his worth,” according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.

“That part of it is important,” said Stanley. “But, at the end of the day, I don’t think money is the most important thing to me.”

Objectively, Stanley was the better offensive lineman than Tunsil in 2019. It was the first time either member of the 2016 draft class made the Pro Bowl. However, Stanley earned first-team All-Pro honors as the Ravens earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 14-2 record.

When the negotiations start with Stanley and the Ravens, the floor has to be Tunsil’s $22 million a year, if the former Notre Dame product wants to be paid his worth.

Ultimately, losing the title of “highest paid offensive lineman” may not bother Tunsil, as he wanted to crash the barbed wire and demonstrate to other linemen on their first contracts that resetting the market is possible.

“I just wanted to reset the market, become the highest paid offensive lineman just to show all the young players under me that anything is possible, you’ve just got to put your head towards it,” Tunsil told reporters on April 27.

More importantly than a market title, Tunsil has three seasons with Houston and a chance to play for a third contract. The Texans get a quality left tackle, one of the best in the AFC, to protect quarterback Deshaun Watson’s blindside as Houston seeks to reach the next level in 2020.

Texans offensive line could be the class of the AFC South in 2020

The Houston Texans offensive line could be the best in the AFC South as the 2020 season unfolds.

The Houston Texans offense is getting slept on as pundits release their rankings of all 32 NFL offenses. Trading a three-time All-Pro receiver in DeAndre Hopkins has that effect.

However, the Texans are getting very little credit for their inconspicuous rebuild of their offensive line. According to analytics from Pro Football Focus, the Texans’ five starters, all of whom are returning in 2020, graded out with 70.0-plus scores.

Even if one doesn’t understand or put in any stock in Pro Football Focus grades, just taking a look at how the Texans offensive line performed, and the offense in general, lends one to look favorably on Houston’s fortunes in 2020.

Left tackle Laremy Tunsil, a former 2016 first-round pick with the Miami Dolphins, earned his first career Pro Bowl after landing with the Texans. Keep in mind Tunsil was traded on Aug. 31, essentially during game week leading up to Opening Day against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 9.

Tytus Howard played only eight games at right tackle, but it was enough to earn him all-rookie team honors from the Pro Football Writers of America. If Howard never takes home a Pro Bowl or All-Pro honor, the Texans at least have a quality bookend to keep the coaches content.

Houston took Max Scharping in the second round, and he was originally a tackle for Northern Illinois. Offensive line coach Mike Devlin kicked him inside at left guard next to Tunsil, and Scharping was a dependable starter for 14 games of his 16 activations.

The Texans found their center in Nick Martin, and he will be there for a few more years after signing an extension during the 2019 season. Fulton, who finished as the sixth-best right guard in Pro Football Focus’ rankings, is the odd man out; an area where fans and critics believe the Texans could upgrade. Even if they don’t, Fulton has proven to be a solid interior offensive lineman.

If the Texans’ offensive line gets another season together without any major setbacks, and they are able to maximize their availability together, Houston could outshine the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans for having the best offensive line in the division. It will be hard to ignore if Deshaun Watson’s sacks continue to decrease, as they did going from 62 to 44 in 2019, and the Texans have another 1,000-yard rushing season for the second straight year with as many running backs.

Texans hope to benefit from continuity on the offensive line

The Houston Texans will be starting the same five offensive linemen from a year ago for the first time in the Deshaun Watson era.

For the first time in the Deshaun Watson era, the Houston Texans will have all five starters return along the offensive line.

Having Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard at left and right tackle, Max Scharping and Zach Fulton as guards, and Nick Martin in the center gives the Texans a continuity among their blocking unit they have rarely had even in the Bill O’Brien era.

“That position especially, there’s a lot of chemistry that goes into that position of playing next to one another, how certain people are going to handle certain blocks and how it’s going to feel and the different responses and reactions that you’ll get,” offensive coordinator Tim Kelly told reporters on May 20.

Part of offensive line coach Mike Devlin’s philosophy has been to find the best five-man rotation that works as a unit along the offensive line, which involves linemen having to display versatility. This is why Howard, who was a left tackle for Alabama State, played guard in his rookie preseason, and also why Scharping, who was a tackle for Northern Illinois, played guard in his rookie year.

In 2019, the Texans found their best five-man unit, and now they can work on the continuity.

“Having all five of those guys back is vital,” Kelly said. “It’s a good thing and it’s something that we’re definitely excited for.”

In 2018, Watson’s first full season at quarterback, he sustained 62 sacks, leading the NFL. In 2019, Watson’s sack totals dropped to 44, which were still in the top 10 at sixth-most in the NFL, but a marked improvement over 2018.

The Texans offensive line also produced a 1,000-yard runner in running back Carlos Hyde, who collected 1,070, marking the first time in the 29-year-old’s career that he went over the 1,000-yard mark. Houston is expected to match or surpass that total with the addition of All-Pro running back David Johnson.

What is the breakdown of Texans LT Laremy Tunsil’s new contract?

Houston Texans LT Laremy Tunsil has a new contract after signing his extension. What do the numbers look like and what is the salary cap impact?

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Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil agreed to terms on a contract extension with the club that traded a king’s ransom to the Miami Dolphins for his services at the end of the 2019 preseason. Coach Bill O’Brien was desperate to find a blindside protector for franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, that contract extension has been processed. Now, the official figures from Tunsil’s $76.35 million contract are available.

Indeed, the Pro Bowler will make $22 million annually, which includes a $13 million signing bonus and $50 million guaranteed — making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL. That isn’t bad for a player who negotiated his own contract.

In 2020, Tunsil will make $10.85 million with $10.35 million guaranteed. In 2021, Tunsil’s $16.15 million salary is guaranteed. In 2022, the former 2016 first-round pick’s $17.85 million salary will have $10 million of it guaranteed. In Tunsil’s final year of his contract in 2023, $18.5 million will be the base, but none of it is guaranteed.

Tunsil’s contract also has an annual de-escalator clause, according to Wilson.

What O’Brien, now the full-time general manager, has to take into account is Tunsil’s salary cap hit as he works with Watson on his contract extension. Tunsil will cost the Texans $14.1 million, $19.4 million, $21.1 million, and $21.75 million in subsequent seasons.

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Ronnie Stanley is in line for a massive payday after Laremy Tunsil deal

After Laremy Tunsil’s record-breaking deal with the Houston Texans, Ronnie Stanley has to be seeing dollar signs with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens are working with left tackle Ronnie Stanley on a contract extension, with the hopes of keeping their franchise player in town for the foreseeable future following his fifth-year option. But doing that is going to cost Baltimore a fortune . . . At least if we use the contract the Houston Texans gave Laremy Tunsil this offseason as the bar.

The Texans and Tunsil reset the offensive tackle market with a three-year contract extension worth $66 million with $57.85 million in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. While Houston didn’t really have a choice after trading multiple first-round picks to the Miami Dolphins for Tunsil, the record-breaking contract will reverberate down the chain and ultimately to the Ravens and Stanley.

Even though Tunsil had massive amounts of leverage over the Texans, something Stanley doesn’t have as much of over Baltimore, there’s a real case to be made for Stanley earning even more money. Whether that means a higher average-per-year, more guaranteed money, or a longer extension for a higher total, Stanley is likely to be shooting to beat Tunsil in at least one of those points. And for good reason.

Stanley might not get as much recognition as other Ravens players but he played a vital role in Baltimore breaking record after record and owning the best rushing offense in NFL history. He excels both at run blocking and pass protection, arguably making him the best tackle in the league right now.

In 2019, Stanley had a tremendous campaign. While solid in the run game, it was pass blocking for quarterback Lamar Jackson where he excelled. According to Pro Football Focus, Stanley allowed just six pressures last season, the lowest total by an offensive tackle in 14 years. His 93.7 pass-blocking grade for the season was among the best PFF has ever given out at the position, falling just behind two Hall of Fame tackles in Jonathan Ogden and Joe Thomas.

While Tunsil had a good season as well, he didn’t quite live up to the level Stanley set. Tunsil allowed three sacks and 20 pressures, compared to Stanley’s no sacks and six pressures. That disparity in production should be enough evidence for Stanley’s agent to start negotiations above the terms Tunsil got.

Using Over The Cap’s 2019 valuations for both players, Stanley was worth 4.54% more than Tunsil. Extrapolating that difference in valuation on Tunsil’s current deal would put Stanley at just under $23 million per season and $69 million over three years. If allowed to hit free agency, I doubt Stanley would have much trouble getting a deal for that amount.

For Baltimore, they have to weigh paying a massive amount of money to one player over spreading that cap space out to sign other young players and free agents. However, giving Stanley a big contract is the right move here.

As the Ravens have found before following the retirement of Ogden and now Marshal Yanda, replicating that level of production can be near impossible. While investing that much money in one player can be a daunting thought, moving on from Stanley over what would be a few million dollars would put the offense in an unnecessary hole and likely kill their Super Bowl window. At least for the next three or four years, Baltimore would be best served by having the top left tackle in the game in the huddle, whatever the cost.

Whether the Ravens can get a bit of a hometown discount or get Stanley to sign a longer-term contract that has a lower average payout will remain to be seen. But everything is set up for Stanley to get paid in Baltimore.

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Why did Laremy Tunsil choose a 3-year deal with Texans and not longer?

Houston Texans left tackle signed a three-year contract extension with the club. Why not four years? The Pro Bowler explains.

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Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil reached a three-year contract extension with the Houston Texans worth $22 million annually. It gives the Texans the security of having the highest paid offensive lineman in the game protecting the blindside of franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Why didn’t Tunsil sign a longer deal with the Texans and give himself even more security?

“Just to give me another opportunity to get into the market,” Tunsil told reporters on April 27. “I just felt like three years was better than four, just to give me another opportunity to get in the free market and just to go from there.”

The rationale is on par with a player who represented himself in the negotiations. Tunsil is about maximizing a time in his life where the earning potential is unparalleled compared to the rest of the world.

“I’ll get to free agency around 28, 29, so I feel like that was the best opportunity for me,” said Tunsil.

For now, it means the Texans will have a quality bookend for the next three seasons as Watson enters even further into his prime. In the future, it means the Texans will have another decision to make as to the direction they want to take at left tackle.

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Texans Talk Podcast: Evaluating the 2020 NFL Draft, Laremy Tunsil extension, and Tashaun Gipson release

On the “Texans Talk Podcast,” SportsRadio 610’s Landry Locker helps evaluate the 2020 NFL Draft, the Laremy Tunsil deal, and the Tashaun Gipson cut.

The Houston Texans had the smallest draft class in team history when they took five players in the 2020 NFL Draft, but the hope is that coach and general manager Bill O’Brien selected top quality prospects.

Landry Locker from “In the Loop” on SportsRadio 610 [KILT-AM] joins the podcast to help host Anthony Wood evaluate the Texans’ draft class. The co-host of “In the Loop” also takes a look at the Laremy Tunsil extension, the Tashaun Gipson release, and what other free agent options could be out there for Houston, especially on the back end.

Penn State coach James Franklin and Rhode Island coach Jim Fleming stop by to give their takes on CB John Reid and WR Isaiah Coulter respectively.

Make sure to keep up to date with all of the latest Texans news, rumors, and analysis by subscribing to the “Texans Talk Podcast” on Apple, Google, Stitcher, or Audioboom.