The Houston Texans rewarded offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil with a three-year, $66million contract extension on Friday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The new deal includes nearly $58m in guaranteed money, including a $40m signing bonus, and makes the 2019 Pro Bowler the highest-paid player in the league at his position. The Philadelphia Eagles' Lane Johnson had been the NFL's best-paid tackle at $18m per year.
After taking years of criticism over not protecting franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson well enough, head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien paid a heavy price last offseason to acquire Tunsil – along with wide receiver Kenny Stills – from the Miami Dolphins, giving up a 2020 first-round draft pick and 2021 picks in the first and second rounds.
The Dolphins used the 2020 pick to trade down four spots on Thursday and select Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene in the opening round.
Tunsil, the 13th overall pick in the 2016 draft, was widely regarded as a top-five talent but landed himself in off-field trouble after a video purportedly showing him using a gas mask to inhale a substance surfaced online shortly before he was drafted.
He has started 61 of a possible 67 career games, including three postseason games. Just as he did at the University of Mississippi, Tunsil has proven to be one of the NFL's most athletic and talented offensive linemen but has been prone to lapses in concentration.
Tunsil allowed six sacks in 2017 and committed eight false start penalties. In 2019, he was flagged 12 times for false starts in the regular season – five more than any other player in the league – and committed the infraction twice more in the postseason.
Heading into the second and third rounds of the draft on Friday, the Texans had the 40th and 90th overall selections.
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