Hands up if you didn’t have Brandon Coleman Left Tackle on your bingo card. Still, he would seem the best all-around fit to fill the void left by Laremy Tunsil’s torn triceps injury. And it does so without rocking the boat too much, and dipping into free agent waters.
A Familiar Spot for Coleman
Coleman isn’t learning a new position. He started 12 games at left tackle as a rookie in 2024 and closed out the final three games of 2025 there when Tunsil missed time with a hamstring injury. Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed this week that Tunsil needs surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely, with Coleman getting the first look at left tackle. Coleman called the transition “kinda like riding a bike.”
Paul Steps Into Left Guard
The move also settles a training camp battle. Coleman and Chris Paul had been competing for the starting left guard job, a spot Coleman started in 2025 before ceding it to Paul. With Coleman back outside, Paul is positioned to take left guard outright, keeping the interior line as is.
Wylie Stays Ready, Conerly Stays Put
Andrew Wylie remains Washington’s swing tackle behind both starters. The plan keeps Wylie in his backup swing tackle role, since most of his career has come on the right side. Josh Conerly Jr. stays at right tackle for now, even though he played left tackle at Oregon and remains an option if Coleman struggles.
Staying In-House Over Free Agency
Names like Taylor Decker and Cam Robinson have circulated as free-agent fits. But Washington doesn’t appear to be pursuing that path. Quinn consulted with general manager Adam Peters and said the team doesn’t plan to look outside the building right now. That’s a real vote of confidence in Coleman, who allowed just one QB hit and zero sacks across 390 snaps at left guard last season.
Solid Solution
Tunsil is impossible to replace. He’s one of the top tackles in the league, and one of the team’s top leaders. Don’t look for Coleman to be quite at that level, but don’t expect subpar performances either.
There were other directions for the team to go in. They didn’t.
They’re comfortable having Brandon Coleman at left tackle.