Let's get one thing straight right now: the popular take on Josh Conerly Jr. entering his second season is that he's a fifth-round developmental project who still needs time. The consensus says Washington's offensive tackle position is locked up by Laremy Tunsil on the left and a question mark on the right, with Conerly as an afterthought -- a depth piece who might see rotational snaps if things go right.
That take is going to look foolish.
According to reports from voluntary OTAs in May 2026, Conerly is leaner, stronger, and ready to take the next step forward. The second-year right tackle from Oregon is entering the 2026 season after a rookie campaign where he played sparingly -- but the physical transformation he's made this offseason suggests the coaching staff sees more than just a backup.
The report comes from the early stages of the offseason program, where players hit OTAs in top shape, but Conerly's situation is unique. He's not a veteran trying to hold off Father Time. He's not a high-round pick with a guaranteed roster spot. He's a 2025 fifth-rounder who needs to earn his place.
And he might just be doing that.
The numbers from last season tell a clear story. In 2025, Conerly appeared in 17 games but didn't start. He was a backup swing tackle, filling in when needed but never establishing himself as a starter. The Commanders' offensive line was anchored by veterans -- Laremy Tunsil on the left side, Andrew Wylie at right guard, Sam Cosmi at left guard. The tackle depth chart had Tunsil, Foster Sarell, and Trent Scott ahead of Conerly.
That's the context everyone is missing. Conerly is not competing with Tunsil for the left tackle spot. Tunsil is a six-time Pro Bowler, a proven commodity. The competition is on the right side. And the right tackle job is far from settled.
Sarell is entering his fifth season. He's started 14 games over two years, mostly as a fill-in. Scott is a journeyman, now 31 years old. Neither is a long-term answer. The Commanders drafted Conerly in the fifth round -- not a premium pick, but one that signals the front office wanted to develop a young tackle with starting potential.
Now he's leaner and stronger. That combination is critical for a right tackle. The right side faces the most physical defensive ends in the NFL -- power rushers who can bull-rush, speed rushers who can bend the edge. Being leaner helps with lateral quickness and recovery. Being stronger helps anchor against power. If Conerly has improved both, he becomes a legitimate candidate to start.
The offensive line is the single most important unit on a team rebuilding its identity. Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters have invested heavily in the interior -- Cosmi, Wylie, Allegretti -- and brought in a franchise left tackle in Tunsil. The right tackle spot is the last piece of the puzzle.
Let's look at the competition. Foster Sarell: 6-6, 322 pounds, 26 years old. He's a fine swing tackle, but he's never been a full-time starter. Trent Scott: 6-5, 320 pounds, 31 years old. He's a veteran who can play both tackle spots, but his best days are behind him. Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu: a 2023 sixth-rounder who has played guard primarily.
Conerly, if he has truly upgraded his frame, brings the athletic ceiling that the others lack. He ran a 5.01 40-yard dash at his pro day at 6-5, 311 pounds. He has the feet to handle speed off the edge. His college tape at Oregon showed a player who could mirror and recover. His weakness was upper-body strength -- he got walked back too often against power.
A leaner, stronger frame directly addresses that weakness. If he can maintain his foot quickness while adding functional strength, he becomes a starter.
The conventional wisdom says that in June, nobody wins a starting job. It's true. No pads are on. No hits are being delivered. But the physical transformation is real. Conerly reportedly arrived at OTAs visibly different. The coaching staff noticed. That matters.
Consider the timeline. Mandatory minicamp is later this month. Training camp opens in July. Preseason games start in August. The roster cuts down to 53 in late August. Conerly has two months to prove he's the answer at right tackle. The leaner, stronger version of himself gives him a real shot.
Here's the other angle no one is talking about: scheme fit. Washington's offensive coordinator is David Blough, entering his second year calling plays. The offense is built around Jayden Daniels -- a mobile quarterback who needs a clean pocket but also threatens defenses with his legs. The offensive line needs to be agile enough to block zone runs and screens, not just pass protect.
Conerly's skill set fits that scheme. He was a tackle in Oregon's spread offense, a scheme that asks linemen to move in space and block in the screen game. He's not a mauler in the phone booth. He's an athlete who can get to the second level.
If Conerly wins the right tackle job, it changes the entire complexion of Washington's offensive line. Tunsil on the left. Conerly on the right. Cosmi and Wylie inside. That's a line with four players under 30, all under team control for at least two more years. That's a unit that can grow together.
The contrarian take here is simple: stop treating Conerly like a long-term project. The Commanders are not a team that can afford to wait. They have a quarterback entering his second season. They have a wide receiver room that added Treylon Burks and Luke McCaffrey as complementary pieces to Terry McLaurin. They have a backfield with Jerome Ford and Kaytron Allen (the rookie sixth-round pick from Penn State). The offense needs to take a step forward in 2026.
Washington is +4500 to win the Super Bowl on FanDuel. That's 45-to-1. Not a favorite, not a contender, but a team on the rise. The offensive line is the foundation. If Conerly is the player he's showing himself to be, that foundation gets a lot stronger.
The rest of the roster news from Tuesday includes rookies rehabbing and other positional battles. Trey Amos, the third-round cornerback from Alabama, is rehabbing an injury. Luke McCaffrey and Treylon Burks stood out in OTAs. But the most significant development is Conerly's physical transformation.
Because offensive tackles don't grow on trees. They don't hit free agency often, and when they do, they cost $20 million a year. The Commanders drafted Conerly for a reason. Now he's giving them a reason to believe he can be the answer.
The consensus says he's a year away. The consensus is wrong.