As if football players weren’t already athletic enough, the Washington Commanders opened their first training camp practice on Wednesday “bigger, faster and stronger” after making athletic conditioning a guiding principle for the offseason.
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George likely wasn’t trying to give the Commanders any big-picture advice when he visited the team earlier this year. But, when Commanders coach Dan Quinn asked the NBA star what factors caused his jump from a relatively pedestrian rookie season to a breakout third-year in the league, George had an easy answer.
“I thought it was going to be, ‘Man, I put 1,000 shots up.’ And he probably did,” the Commanders’ third-year coach explained. “His response was, ’I got in crazy shape.’ We talked about that as a team, what that looks like.”
Quinn’s players took the task seriously. Second-year offensive tackle Josh Conerly didn’t add any pounds on the scale, but he slimmed down, turning baby fat into a leaner, more athletic physique.
Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt put on about seven or eight pounds of lean muscle.
Something had to change after a disappointing 5-12 campaign that was derailed by injuries to quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
“Maybe you get punched in the face and you fight back,” Quinn said. “I do know that it was intentional from the spring. Their ability to put into training hard, we kept coming back to getting into crazy shape.”
The exact focus and desired effect shifted from player to player.
For Washington’s franchise quarterback, his physical fitness ranked second only to mastering the offensive playbook of new coordinator David Blough.
“Just kept working on my craft, getting bigger, faster, stronger,” Daniels said. “Me and my trainer got after it. I feel good though, really good.”
Croskey-Merritt needed to build from a breakout rookie campaign. The seventh-rounder burst onto the scene last year to lead the Commanders in rushing. But he was noticeably stockier as he talked with reporters for the first time since the season’s end. A nagging leg injury kept him from becoming a full participant during spring workouts.
“I just want to be stronger, be able to break more tackles, be able to do a lot more stuff,” the running back said. “I think it’s going to pay off.”
Conerly is already seeing a difference. He noted after the first training camp practice that he felt quicker on the field. The extra agility could be crucial in Blough’s new system, which may feature more opportunities for linemen to reach the open field and clear paths for ball-carriers.
“But we’ll see that more as we go on through camp into the season,” he said. “We’ll definitely see how it translates.”
“Crazy shape” might be an easier goal for the 22-year-old than for some of the older veterans on the roster. This year marked his first full offseason as a professional.
“I wasn’t surprised. It’s kind of when guys make the biggest jumps,” Quinn said of Conerly’s refined physique. “Because Josh is still young. … When you’re 21 or 22, you have an easier space to grow and you can take full advantage of that.”
Leaning on a five-time Pro Bowler in teammate Laremy Tunsil has also aided Conerly’s development. The pair of offensive tackles has grown even closer over the offseason. Tunsil hosted Conerly throughout the offseason for workouts and mentoring sessions. Tunsil even helped guide Conerly’s diet: more protein, fewer carbs.
The lessons haven’t stopped for training camp. The duo spent 20 minutes on the field together after practice ended for additional work.
“He’s helped me off the field and on the field about how to go about your business, how you approach the game, how you handle your personal life and keeping that calm and under wraps,” Conerly said. “It’s a little bit everywhere. It’s definitely a blessing from the Lord.”
The surging athleticism throughout the roster and leadership from veterans like Daniels and Tunsil created a fresh atmosphere for the preseason camp.
The Commanders lost a pair of locker room leaders in linebacker Bobby Wagner and tight end Zach Ertz. But Tunsil and Daniels — along with defenders like Frankie Luvu and Jeremy Reaves — have eagerly filled the leadership void.
“It’s a new team. Every year is a new year. …” said Daniels. “Now, it’s my team, for sure.”
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