Jun 10, 2025; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (78) stands on the field on day one of minicamp at Commanders Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Recent Rankings Reveal Jaguars' Rival's Mistake

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 12:40 PM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars will need to find a way to topple the Houston Texans if they hope to make a run at the AFC South title in 2025. And to do so, they will need to hope the Texans' offensive line takes a step backward.

The Texans' offensive line was the key storyline of their 2024 season, which ended in a Divisional Round playoff loss after getting bombarded by the Kansas City Chiefs' defensive front.

To find a solution for their struggling unit, the Texans completely remade their offensive line this offseason, pushing out Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason while bringing in former Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson to lead the line.

But did the Texans make a clear misstep with going from Tunsil to Robinson? According to a recent ranking from ESPN based on votes from NFL executives, scouts and coaches, Tunsil is the No. 7 offensive tackle in the entire NFL entering 2025. Meanwhile, Robinson was not listed after a rough 2024 season with the Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings.

"Tunsil has long performed like a top-five tackle on our list, but miscues and the Texans' offensive line struggles hurt his case this time around. He has three consecutive seasons of committing at least 10 penalties, including 19 in 2024, according to NFLPenalties.com," ESPN said.

"Evaluators still love his combination of footwork, agility and violence - and so did the Washington Commanders, who acquired Tunsil and a fourth-round pick in March in exchange for a package of Day 2 and 3 picks. 'Washington wouldn't have done what they did if he wasn't immensely talented,' an NFL personnel director said. 'With the penalties, when they happen they seem to pile up, which makes you wonder whether he has the mental strength to wash the bad plays and move on.'"

Even with Tunsil having a down year last season, he is still far and away a better option at left tackle than Robinson and any other option on their roster.

For a Jaguars team that is chasing the Texans, their weakness along the offensive line should be a key focus for the defense and the rest of the AFC South.

Tunsil is no longer elite, but the Texans still let go of a talented player.