Laremy Tunsil trade revisited: Texans extend tackle, Dolphins still seeing returns from 2019 trade

The Houston Texans and Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension on Sunday. The deal adds an additional $75 million to Tunsil’s contract value, with $50 million of it guaranteed, and, after being made the highest-paid tackle in the game in 2020, moves him back to the top in 2023.

Why is a Miami Dolphins team site covering the re-signing of an offensive lineman for the Texans? Because every time Tunsil makes news, it is time to remember just how much of a legend Tunsil is in Miami. From the 13th pick in the 2016 NF Draft to Miami’s fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tunsil is still having an impact on the Dolphins almost four years after being traded to Houston.

Below, we track the history of the trade, along with the year-to-year evolution of the deal and the players and draft picks that continue to spawn from one move three years ago.

---

In 2019, the Miami Dolphins traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Houston Texans, a move that sent Miami’s 2016 13th-overall pick to Texas for a haul of draft picks. Somehow, it is a trade that still is bringing the Dolphins assets, including this week’s trade for six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

How do we get from Laremy Tunsil to Tyreek Hill three years later? It is time once again to track the legend that is Laremy Tunsil and that trade. And, see what Miami still has remaining from the deal.

Setting it up

The Tunsil trade is actually the product of another trade. In 2016, the Dolphins held the eighth-overall pick, but they sent it to the Philadelphia Eagles in March, receiving back linebacker Kiko Alonso, cornerback Byron Maxwell, and the 13th-overall pick. The Eagles then used the eighth pick as part of the package to move up to the Cleveland Browns’ second-overall pick, where they selected quarterback Carson Wentz. The Browns turned around and traded the eighth pick again, sending it to the Tennessee Titans, who used the selection to add offensive tackle Jack Conklin.

The Dolphins, sitting with the 13th pick, saw one of the most dramatic situations to happen to a draft prospect lead to them adding Tunsil. Just as the opening round of the Draft began, a video leaked of Tunsil wearing a gas mask attached to a bong. There were also screenshots of communications in which Tunsil asked for money to assist with rent and his mother’s bills. The video and picture sent waves through the Draft, and suddenly Tunsil, considered the best offensive tackle prospect that year, fell. Miami added Tunsil to the roster, laying him at guard as a rookie before moving him to left tackle in 2017.

The Trade

Jumping to 2019, the Texans made a series of offers to the Dolphins in an attempt to acquire Tunsil. The Dolphins initially declined any deals, with the team not looking to trade away a player who could be a franchise left tackle for years to come.

Then the deal became too big to reject.

The Dolphins sent Tunsil, wide receiver Kenny Stills, a 2020 fourth-round pick, and a 2021 sixth-round pick to Houston.

Miami received:

• 2020 first-round pick
• 2021 first-round pick
• 2021 second-round pick
• Cornerback Johnson Bademosi
• Offensive lineman Julién Davenport

2019 Season

During the 2019 season, Bademosi made four appearances for the Dolphins. He recorded five tackles for the team, but was released in mid-October.

Davenport started eight games for the Dolphins in 2019, replacing Tunsil at left tackle. He missed eight games in the middle of the season due to a broken fibula.

For the Texans, Tunsil started 14 games at left tackle, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. Stills played 13 games, starting five of them, and recorded 40 receptions for 561 yards with four touchdowns.

2020 NFL Draft

As the 2020 NFL Draft began, the Dolphins started moving the draft pick they received from the Texans. The first move came as they sent the first-round pick they received, the 26th overall, to the Green Bay Packers for the 30th overall pick and the 136th overall pick (fourth round).

Miami used the 30th selection to add cornerback Noah Igbinoghene.

The 136th overall pick was then packaged with the 141st pick to make a trade with the Texans to grab the 111th pick - which was the pick they sent to the Texans as part of the Tunsil trade. There, they selected offensive lineman Solomon Kindley.

The Texans traded the 136th pick to the Los Angeles Rams as part of a package to move up to the 126th selection, where they selected offensive tackle Charlie Heck. They used the 141st pick to select cornerback John Reid.

• 2020 first-round pick (26th)-> Traded to Green Bay for 30th and 136th
• 30th pick -> Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene
• 136th pick (+ 141st pick) -> Traded to Houston for 111th
• 111th pick -> Offensive lineman Solomon Kindley

2020 Season

Davenport appeared in all 16 games for the Dolphins, but he only started one time. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts in the 2021 offseason.

Igbinoghene appeared in 16 games as a rookie, starting twice. He recorded 13 tackles with two passes defended and two fumbles recovered.

Kindley slid into the offensive line at right guard, starting 13 games.

2021 NFL Draft

The first-round pick from the Texans turned into the third-overall selection for Miami, while the second-round pick was the 36th-overall selection. Miami again began moving the picks, this time sending the third pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the 12th overall pick, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2022 third-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick.

The Dolphins then immediately traded the 12th pick, along with a fourth-round pick (123rd), and their own 2022 first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the sixth-overall pick. Miami used the sixth pick to select wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.

They used the 36th pick to add safety Jevon Holland.

The 156th pick from trade with the Eagles was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2022 fourth-round pick.

• 2021 first-round pick (3rd) -> Traded San Francisco for 12th overall, 2022 1st, 2022 3rd, 2023 1st
• 12th pick (+ 123rd, 2022 1st) -> Traded to Philadelphia for 6th overall, 156th (Originally from Dallas Cowboys)
• 6th pick -> Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle
• 2021 second-round pick (36th) -> Safety Jevon Holland
• 156th pick -> Traded to Pittsburgh for 2022 4th

2021 Season

The Dolphins’ youth movement led to the team having four players in the first or second year in the NFL as the four representatives on the roster from the Tunsil trade. Igbinoghene appeared in seven games in 2021, starting once. He recorded six tackles,

Kindley played 16 games during the season, but only started twice, working primarily on special teams and as a situational player.

Waddle started 16 games as a rookie, recording an NFL rookie record 104 receptions. He tallied 1,015 yards with six touchdowns on the season. He also rushed for a score.

Holland began the season behind Eric Rowe and Jason McCourty at safety, but quickly established himself as the future of the position for the Dolphins. He appeared in 16 games, starting 13 of them, with 69 tackles, 10 passes defensed, two interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and 2.5 sacks.

2022 Offseason

The Dolphins got aggressive this week, pulling off a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire Hill. They sent five draft picks to the Chiefs in exchange for the wideout. Included in that deal was the first-round pick from the 49ers, along with Miami’s second-round pick (50th) and fourth-round pick (121st), as well as fourth- and sixth-round picks for 2023.

2022 NFL Draft

The Dolphins used two picks in the 2022 NFL Draft that can be traced back through the Laremy Tunsil deal.

• Third-round pick (102nd) (from 49ers) ->Linebacker Channing Tindall
• Fourth-round pick (125th) (from Steelers) -> Wide receiver Erik Ezukanma

2022 Trade Deadline

The Dolphins made two trades at the deadline in 2022. They acquired linebacker Bradley Chubb and a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. That first-round pick was the one the team acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 as part of the move back in the first round.

• 2023 first-round pick (from San Francisco 49ers) (+ running back Chase Edmonds and 2024 fourth-round pick) -> Denver Broncos for LB Bradley Chubb, 2025 fifth-round pick

---

Results from Laremy Tunsil trade (as of the start of the 2023 offseason):

• Johnson Bademosi (4 games played, released)
• Julién Davenport (24 games played, 9 starts, not re-signed)
• Noah Igbinoghene (32 games played, 5 starts, 29 tackles, 5 passes defensed, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception)
• Solomon Kindley (29 games played, 15 starts, waived at end of 2022 preseason)
• Jaylen Waddle (33 games played, 33 starts, 179 receptions, 2,371 yards, 14 touchdowns, 5 rushes, 29 yards, touchdown; Rookie record for receptions (104 in 2021))
• Jevon Holland (33 games played, 30 starts, 165 tackles, 17 passes defensed, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 sacks)
• Tyreek Hill (17 games played, 17 starts, 119 receptions, 1,710 yards, 7 touchdowns, 7 rushes, 32 yards, 1 touchdown (2022 First-Team All-Pro, 2022 Pro Bowl, Team-Record Receptions in a Season (2022 - 119), Team-Record Receiving Yards in a Season (2022 - 1,710))
• Channing Tindall (16 games played, 3 tackles)
• Erik Ezukanma (1 game played, 1 reception, 3 yards)
• Bradley Chubb (8 games played, 7 starts, 13 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2.5 sacks)
• 2025 fifth-round pick (from Broncos)

Bold players still on Dolphins’ roster.
Stats with Dolphins.

For more on the Tunsil’s extension with the Texans, check out Battle Red Blog.