Josh Conerly Jr.’s NFL draft profile listed him at 311 pounds. The Commanders had him at 315 shortly after selecting him at No. 29 overall in 2025, and the starting right tackle finished his rookie year at 318.
That doesn’t seem like much of a shift, but the Oregon product wasn’t happy with the weight or his body composition at the time. He decided to do something about it, to be in the best shape possible heading into 2026.
“I did cut a heavy amount at the end of last season, because I ended up at 318
or something,” Conerly said. “I was pretty fat. I cut down a lot of body fat and added some muscle.”
His strategy was simple: “Eat a little cleaner. Eat a lot less.”
Conerly went back to Oregon to work with strength coaches and a personal chef. He spent some time in Alabama training with Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil, never a bad idea from a conditioning and technical perspective. Then he came to the Commanders complex for the offseason program looking lean and mean and ready to get better.
“I feel like those three steps I took over the offseason were great for me,” Conerly said after a Tuesday OTA session open to the media. “Hopefully I’m able to show that (it helped).”
Conerly believes he’s improved and better prepared for his second NFL season. It also sounds like he took full advantage of his first professional offseason. The previous one was compacted by NFL draft prep, the Senior Bowl, combine prep and the draft. Selections report shortly after being taken, with a rookie minicamp that rolls right into an offseason program already in progress.
The post-rookie offseason allows a player to truly reset, hone their craft and take a big leap. That’s Conerly’s goal heading into 2026. While Conerly beleives his added play strength has helped him handle the bull lrush, he’s also making some adjustments.
“Just continuously getting comfortable in my stance,” Conerly said. “(I’m) not necessarily rebuilding it, but finding ways to make it as comfortable as possible. Once I stepped out there (for OTAs) I felt a lot more confident. I’m able to just be free.”
Conerly’s trying to improve upon a 2025 campaign that featured a rough start – he switched from left tackle to the right side after getting drafted – and some improvement as the season progressed. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, he allowed a roughly 9.9% pressure rate, which was high among right tackles, and that must come down.
He clearly has potential as a starting NFL tackle. Now he needs to realize it.
Offensive coordinator David Blough is trying to help him and the offensive line do so, using the group’s athleticism to Washington’s advantage. Conerly is also a big believer in offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton, who will lead the room after being an assistant position coach the past two seasons.
“He sat next to me in the meeting rooms all through my rookie year, so we already had a pretty close relationship,” Conerly sald. “In our meetings, just like when he ran a lot of our third-down meetings, I feel like we’re a lot more interactive. I feel like me and the guys are in a really great space right now. We’re going to continue to just elevate.”
