The Washington Commanders’ offensive line is hearing plenty, and Josh Conerly Jr. isn’t pretending otherwise.
After another round of questions about the unit on Tuesday, the second-year right tackle was asked by Scott Abraham of ABC 7 in DC whether the outside concern about the line felt personal. Conerly didn’t frame it that way, but he made it clear he thinks the criticism is missing the bigger picture.
“I wouldn’t say, personally, but I think it’s a huge misconception because I know how much we work. I feel like there’s only been so much put out there of the (starters) being out there at once.
You got your three plays, and then you got your little bit of what you guys saw, and how you guys interpret that from the joint practice. But I don’t think it necessarily went that way.”
That pushback comes after a rough stretch of public perception for Washington’s front. In preseason Week 2 in Detroit, the first offensive unit logged only the first three snaps against the Lions, struggled badly, and was taken out for the night. The group also didn’t spend much time together in the controlled scrimmage against the Baltimore Ravens, where Commanders coaches rotated linemen and other positions throughout the session.
Still, the damage was done in the eyes of plenty of observers, with fans remembering the offense being described as “inoperable.”
Abraham followed up by asking whether there was any extra thrill in the chance to answer the criticism. Conerly broke into a big smile before saying, “You just having fun with it.
You know what I am sayin’? We got a great opportunity to play the Eagles and the Cowboys to start it off, and it’s going to be fun.”
That’s the stage now: plenty of noise, plenty of doubt, and a huge chance to quiet it early with road games against two divisional rivals to open the 2026 season.
In Other News...
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Bobby Wagner is now a free agent, while Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin and Laremy Tunsil also came up empty after being recognized previously. For a team trying to climb back into the conversation, the omission adds another layer of frustration, but it also gives Washington a clear source of motivation as camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face One Big Week 1 Problem Before Brutal Start
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Laremy Tunsil and Johnny Newton are both set to miss the opener, which makes the recent return of several other familiar names to practice that much more important. Daron Payne, Marcus Mariota, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and KLavon Chaisson are back on the field, while Odafe Oweh is working back from a calf issue and should be moving toward full participation soon, leaving Washington hopeful it can get healthier before the season starts to really lean on its depth. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Rookies Are Forcing A Bigger Week 1 Debate Than Expected
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What makes this group especially interesting is that it has pushed the Week 1 conversation beyond simple roster-filling. Washington is still weighing how these young players might contribute once the games count, and the answers may not look the same from one rookie to the next. The development arc is still in motion, and as camp gives way to the season, the Commanders will have to decide how much trust to place in first-year players who have already made the picture more complicated than expected. [Read more 🡒]