Laremy Tunsil has not been on the field since he tore his triceps in training camp, but that does not mean he is absent from the Washington Commanders' facility.

Actually, the five-time Pro Bowler is around quite a bit, and it has been a benefit for the team's young offensive linemen.

"I think it's been a blessing," Josh Conerly said. "And it means a lot to us, as a group and for me personally."

Tunsil might not be able to help the Commanders protect Jayden Daniels on game days, but the veteran is still finding ways to contribute while receiving treatment for his injury. He has been offering advice to the rest of the offensive linemen in the room and providing guidance on how they can improve their skill set. To the Commanders, it is more evidence of Tunsil's leadership and how it has elevated the roster.

"Laremy...has such a good connection with Josh, and checking in, seeing where it's at, that's a big deal," head coach Dan Quinn said in September.

Because of their shared first-round lineage and how much Tunsil praised Conerly in the offseason before his rookie year, their relationship has captured most of the attention. Prior to Tunsil's injury, the two were often seen after practice getting extra work in before heading to the locker room. They spent most of that time working on Conerly's pass sets, but they would touch on several areas for the former Oregon tackle to work on, such as footwork and hand placement in run blocking.

It was not all business. They would talk about life, how their days were going or what they had going on for the rest of the week outside of practice. Those moments, Conerly said, are just as much of a blessing as the tips Tunsil has offered on the field.

Conerly added that "you can talk to him [Tunsil] about anything," and that kind of availability helps in several ways during the season.

"It's unreal. I'm very thankful...really just to have a brother, a real brother, that I can lean on no matter what," Conerly said.

Quinn said "that's a big piece for us" to have Tunsil in the building despite not playing, particularly with Conerly's development.

"That's [his] little brother in a lot of ways, and he's such a significant impact on him."

But Conerly is not the only player Tunsil has influenced since joining Washington. Chris Paul, who worked alongside Tunsil in 2025 as the team's starting left guard, was aware of Tunsil's reputation for not necessarily being an active leader with the Houston Texans. Paul reserved judgment until he got to meet Tunsil for himself. What he found in Tunsil is someone who "speaks with intention" and leads by example in his own way.

Tunsil's presence, Paul said, has been "absolutely awesome."

"He just has a wonderful spirit, and you can tell the way he just sort of quietly spreads his cheer around the building," Paul said. "I think he's just a great example."

Tunsil's presence can still be felt around the building. He arranged for food trucks to be brought to the practice facility for the last week of camp, despite not being on the field himself. He did the same thing last year to provide his teammates with a small celebration for getting through the heat and hard work they went through in August to prepare for the season.

When he is around the team, Tunsil is still the mentor and teacher that he was last season. He was on the sideline for the Commanders' season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and was just involved in the game plan as he would be if he were suited up.

"He was...just active," Paul said. "Just asking me, 'What are you seeing? Here's the type of look this guy's giving you.' He's obviously doing that for both our tackles as well. It's just been a great source of mentorship for everybody."

Tunsil is not shy about praising his teammates, either. He has been high on Conerly since he was drafted, saying that the former No. 29 overall pick has a bright future and could become one of the better offensive tackles in the league. He hyped up Paul last season, saying how much he appreciated the communication the existed between.

Paul said working beside Tunsil was "an absolute honor."

"He is the top and the pinnacle of the game," Paul said. "Playing next to him has been one of the greatest honors of my life."

There is no timetable for Tunsil's return to the field. There is hope that he can return near the end of the season. Quinn said the doctors were pleased with his last checkup, but he is still in the healing process.

The Commanders would rather him be on the field. For now, though, the most he can do to help his teammates is to help guide them in the right direction. And until he is healthy, that is enough.

"Obviously, going through the injury he's going through is not easy for anyone," Paul said. "He's just handled it with so much grace and has just been so kind to still be around and to still be a source of mentorship to everyone."