Commanders Lose Laremy Tunsil and Jer’Zhan Newton to IR in Brutal Roster Update

The Washington Commanders just dropped the kind of roster update that makes you want to simulate to the end of the season. According to Adam Schefter, Washington officially placed starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil and defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton on injured reserve, while bringing back corner Fabian Moreau and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle to stop the bleeding.

Losing Tunsil is a disaster class for an offensive line that reporters were already calling inoperable during joint practices. Tunsil tore his left triceps and needs surgery, meaning Jayden Daniels is going to be running for his life instead of comfortably throwing to Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs.

"Adam Schefter reported the Commanders placed DT Jer’Zhan Newton and T Laremy Tunsil on injured reserve."

On the other side of the ball, Newton is recovering from surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle he suffered in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. The second-year tackle was coming off a highly productive 2025 campaign where he logged 38 tackles and five sacks while playing all 17 games.

Replacing that kind of trench production with waiver-wire gymnastics is like trying to patch a submarine leak with a store-brand bandage. Tuttle steps back into the defensive rotation to eat up snaps, but you cannot just replicate Newton's interior pressure or Tunsil's blindside protection with guys who were looking for work yesterday.

This is a brutal reality check for a Washington team trying to find its footing before the real games even begin. The Commanders are already sitting as 5.5-point underdogs for their Week 1 opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, and that line feels generous when you factor in a makeshift offensive line trying to block Jalen Carter.

Washington now has to figure out how to keep their franchise quarterback upright and their defensive front intact for at least the next few months. If their recent 41-3 preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens was any indication, this roster is going to need a lot more than a couple of depth signings to survive September.