Hogs Haven
A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff
For the first time in NFL history, the league announced on Wednesday that it will add an annual ‘Protector of the Year’ award to its end-of-year ballots. The award will go to the league’s top offensive lineman in an effort to recognize the league’s big men who are integral to the success of every NFL team.
Of course, as with anything new in the league, NFL analysts and insiders are already giving us an early peek at some of the players we might see on the inaugural ballot at the end of the 2025 season. One of those players is Washington Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Tunsil has been more mercurial than some of the NFL’s most respected left tackles; it’s one reason he’s already been traded twice in his career. Relocating from a messy Houston Texans front to Washington, where the slippery Jayden Daniels is now his quarterback, could shoot his stock to the moon.
While Washington finished fifth in scoring and seventh in yards in 2024, this season will present more challenges. The Commanders play eight games against defenses that finished top-seven in scoring — facing the Eagles twice — and nine vs. teams in the top 10.
They also play in a division that has top defensive linemen such as Dallas Cowboys end Micah Parsons, Eagles tackle Jalen Carter, and a New York Giants front that includes end Brian Burns and tackle Dexter Lawrence II, as well as rookies Abdul Carter and Donovan Ezeiruaku in the draft.
Washington could have new starters at three positions this season, and four if you include a temporary fill-in for injured right guard Sam Cosmi. And Cosmi would be the only one still starting from the 2023 season.
The Commanders traded for Tunsil, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and drafted tackle Josh Conerly Jr. with the 29th overall pick in the draft last month. This will allow them to move Brandon Coleman, a third-round pick in 2024 who started 15 of their 20 games at left tackle, to guard — a position multiple scouts and analysts said was a better fit for him coming out of college.
Washington re-signed Daniels’ security blanket in tight end Zach Ertz, who caught 66 passes with seven touchdowns in 2024. They also re-signed wide receiver Noah Brown, who caught 35 passes in 11 games before injuring his kidney and being placed on injured reserve. They allowed Olamide Zaccheaus and Dyami Brown to leave in free agency.
But the Commanders wanted to add more dynamic ability to their...
