The Houston Texans have agreed to a three-year, $66-million extension with left tackle Laremy Tunsil, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Worth $22 million per season, the deal will make Tunsil the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL and includes $57.85 million in guaranteed money.
Tunsil, 25, started 14 games for the Texans last season and was voted to his first-career Pro Bowl. The Lake City, Fla., native was acquired by Houston from the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 31, 2019 along with receiver Kenny Stills and a fourth-round pick in exchange for a massive haul: two first-round picks, a second-round pick and a pair of players.
“We had a good year with Laremy, there’s a lot of things he’s going to be more comfortable with within our offence this year,” coach and general manager Bill O’Brien said Friday. “He’s going to be a better player this year, and he played very well for us (last year).”
Houston allowed just 44 sacks last season, with Tunsil protecting quarterback Deshaun Watson’s blind side. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound Tunsil was selected to his first Pro Bowl.
Tunsil was selected 13th overall by the Dolphins in the 2016 draft and started 44 games in Miami before being dealt as part of a rebuild in South Beach.
The historic Tunsil deal is just the latest move in what has been a wild off-season for head coach/GM Bill O’Brien and the Texans. Houston kicked the off-season off with a bang by trading three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona for a second-round pick and running back David Johnson. O’Brien followed that blockbuster up by acquiring wideout Brandin Cooks from the Los Angeles Rams.
With files from the Associated Press
[relatedlinks]
