Commanders RT Josh Conerly Emphasizing Nutrition Ahead of 2026

Week two of OTAs has officially kicked off for the Washington Commanders with Tuesday marking the first of three straight days, the next layer for head coach Dan Quinn and his new-look staff to add to the foundation laid through the offseason.

Yet the offensive line is one that returns ample familiarity given the four returning starters from the 2025 unit, while Nick Allegretti returns looking to step into an elevated role to earn the starting center job. While left tackle Laremy Tunsil's dominance is another storyline for the unit as the center battle remains under the microscope as its been since Tyler Biadasz's release ahead of free agency, the progression of former first round pick Josh Conerly could be just as important.

After becoming the team's first round pick in 2025 to finalize the offensive line, Conerly's rookie season proved to be a tale of two halves with the final picture one that adds encouragement for the future.

After allowing six sacks and 28 pressures through the first eight games of his NFL career, Conerly flipped a switch to allow just two sacks and 15 pressures over the final eight games. It's why new offensive coordinator David Blough spoke glowingly of his starting right tackle this offseason.

This offseason, Conerly said he went back to the University of Oregon to workout with his college coaches before reuniting with star left tackle Laremy Tunsil in Alabama. Yet there's even more reason to be confident in Conerly's potential for year two after revealing he's still between 310 and 315 pounds, his same playing weight as last season, but put a premium on his body and frame this offseason to "cut down a lot of body fat."

"Dieting, eating a lot cleaner, eating a little less," Conerly said about the offseason transition.

Conerly also pointed to "continuously getting comfortable with my stance" as he works to become a strong run and pass blocker, but there's also comfort in a layer of consistency when it comes to the offensive line. What is a change is being part of a huddle once again with a shift from Kliff Kingsbury's tempo to David Blough's more traditional NFL-style offense.

"Huddling up is something I haven't done since I don't know, maybe little league," Conerly added. "Playing at Oregon, we were always fast tempo, on the ball, and obviously last year we were in that offense as well. So I feel like it's been a lot easier to get clear communication."

The scheme shift could materialize into the number one question for Conerly's sophomore season, but the chance to put together a complete season will also be a box for the University of Oregon product to answer in 2026.

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