Hogs Haven
Washington Post (paywall)
After struggling out of the gate, the rookie has kept improving, thanks in large part to the mentorship of left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Seemingly everywhere Tunsil goes, Conerly is two steps behind.
Their bond developed after an intentional effort by Tunsil, who benefited from the guidance of older players after he was drafted in the first round by the Miami Dolphins in 2016. When the Commanders selected Conerly in the first round this April, Tunsil was the first person to call him following General Manager Adam Peters and Coach Dan Quinn. Conerly missed the call — he was busy celebrating — but they connected a few days later.
As of late, the duo has looked like a pair of bookends that can help protect Jayden Daniels when the star quarterback returns next year. The Commanders believe the mentorship Conerly is receiving from Tunsil has been invaluable.
As Conerly has navigated the ups and downs of his first year in the NFL, the guidance of Tunsil, whom he calls “OG,” has been invaluable. And, early on, Tunsil’s “lil’ bro” needed plenty of it. In his first three games, the right tackle faced some of the best pass rushers in the league: the New York Giants’ Brian Burns, Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers and the Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby. The results weren’t pretty, but the experience helped him develop.
Beyond the mental strides, Conerly has sharpened his hand placement, footwork and communication skills. His progression has been steady.
In the first eight games, Conerly was performing like one of the league’s worst offensive linemen. He surrendered six sacks (most in the NFL), 28 pressures (third most) and a pressure rate of 10 percent (eighth highest).
In the past seven games, Conerly has allowed just one sack, 13 pressures and a pressure rate of 5.6 percent. That’s despite facing top pass rushers such as the Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos and Burns, as well as the challenging defensive fronts of the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles.
Conerly also has been supported by those around him. He was able to lean on right guard Sam Cosmi since Cosmi returned from injury in Week 7. To assist Conerly, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury frequently has running backs and tight ends stay in to block. Daniels and backup quarterback Marcus Mariota have bailed him out with their legs.
Conerly knows he’s still early in his development. His goal is to have “no weaknesses,” but getting there will take time.
Johnson thinks the next step for Conerly is getting stronger. That may sound strange to say about someone who is 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, but there are levels in this league.
Commanders.com
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