Why Houston Texans Need Pro Bowl OT Laremy Tunsil to Shine

Houston Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil had a slow start to training camp, but he is picking up steam.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 20, 2024

Dec 24, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (78) walks off the field before the game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

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Houston Texans

Houston Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil has made the Pro Bowl in four of his five seasons with the franchise, emerging as one of the top offensive linemen in the league.

Tunsil, however, wasn't the same player he was in 2023 than he was in 2022, allowing five sacks throughout the season.

If Tunsil can keep quarterback C.J. Stroud upright throughout the season, that could make the Texans arguably the best offense in the NFL.

"Houston needs Tunsil to quickly get into midseason form, stay on the field and play like the dependable starter he has been in the past. Otherwise, the Texans may be forced to thrust rookie second-round pick Blake Fisher into the lineup, which would be far less than ideal," Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox writes.

Tunsil, 30, is entering the first season of his three-year extension that he signed back in March 2023. His base salary is $18 million, making him one of the five highest-paid players on the team. His cap hit covers about 10 percent of the team's salary, which ranks first on the squad.

Simply put, Tunsil is being paid to help bring this team to a Super Bowl and a lot of money is being invested in his success. There are backup options in case his age begins to show, but he still has a few more years of quality football left in him so long as injuries don't get in the way.

Stick with TexansGameday for more coverage of the Houston Texans throughout the offseason.

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Published Aug 20, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.