After the Washington Commanders went 12-5 and shockingly reached the NFC Championship Game in 2024, they weren’t satisfied. General manager Adam Peters knew the system had a lot of holes, and his No. 1 goal moving forward was to protect quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Commanders are getting solid play from their offensive line in 2024. But, like many smart GMs, Peters understood that Washington needed more stability in both areas of the offense. The overhaul began before free agency when the Commanders surprised everyone by trading for five-time Pro Bowl running back Laremy Tunsil. It was surprising because no one knew that Tunsil was available. The star on the left is rarely found.
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A little over a month later, Peters doubled down, choosing Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. Conerly will move to right tackle in the NFL, and the Commanders have seemed locked in at their positions for several years.
Almost immediately, Tunsil took Conerly under his wing. That’s the tricky part. There have been rumors that Houston doesn’t feel like Tunsil has taken on a leadership role. Everyone praised Tunsil’s practice habits, his locker room presence, everything. His performance on the field was always good. He was much better than advertised.
As for Conerly, his NFL career got off to a rough start. In his first three games, he faced top running backs such as Brian Burns (Giants), Micah Parsons (Packers) and Maxx Crosby (Raiders).
He struggled as expected. Some wondered if the Commanders made the right choice. Sadly, fans are very patient. As the season progressed, Conerly improved. When the season ended it was clear that the Commanders made the right move by selecting him.
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Then, this spring, Conerly showed up for offseason workouts and looked like a different person. He has clearly worked on his body this offseason.
During OTAs in Washington, Tunsil revealed that Conerly worked with him this offseason at Alabama, where Tunsil often coaches.
Tunsil explained how hard Conerly has worked this season.
“We work every day; every day,” Tunsil said, via Zach Selby of the team’s official website. “He came to work with me every day. He ate well. It’s protein for lunch and breakfast. No carbs for dinner. There are supplements every day. It’s a routine we have to live by.”
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It clearly worked.
So why is Tunsil, a veteran who doesn’t need to spend his free time helping his younger colleagues, take so much interest in Conerly?
“I see myself,” Tunsil said of Conerly. “I don’t want to sound cliche. I see a dog. I see a person who wants. He wants to be big.”
That should make every Washington coach, official, player and fan happy.
Although Tunsil had one more season left on his contract, the Commanders had seen enough, extending him another two years, making him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman — again. Washington clearly credits Tunsil with his elite play, but it’s more than that. Tunsil has evolved into a key leader on the offensive line for the Commanders, including their 2025 first-round pick.
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Washington may have some questions heading into 2026, but tackle space is not among its concerns.
This article first appeared on Commanders Wire: Laremy Tunsil’s comments on Josh Conerly should please Commanders.
