The Washington Commanders had a plan for rookie first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr. in 2025. Start him immediately and throw him right into the fire at right tackle in Week 1. The No. 29 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft had never played right tackle until Week 1, when he lined up opposite Brian Burns and the New York Giants.
Not only did Conerly face Burns and the Giants in Week 1, but things also got tougher in Week 2, when he lined up opposite Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers. In Week 3, it was Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders. Conerly struggled, especially in the first two weeks.
However, throughout the course of the season, Conerly continued to improve. Again, he had his moments, battling penalties and allowing pressures, but he’s also had some excellent performances. Perhaps Conerly’s best game was against Denver and its top-ranked defense in Week 13.
Through it all, Washington has stuck with Conerly. He plays every snap. In fact, Conerly is the only Washington offensive lineman to play every snap this season.
In a special for ESPN, Sarah Barshop spoke with 36 rookies, each of whom explained the one lesson they learned this season. No surprise, Conerly credits five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
“The biggest lesson I learned inside the building is to lean on guys around me, and that’s what I’ve been doing the last month or two months,” Conerly told Barshop. “Laremy for sure, but I talk to everybody in here.”
Tunsil isn’t the only star Conerly has looked to for advice.
“I’ve had conversations about anything in life, being far from your parents, how you eat, how many times do you lift in a week, how do you hydrate. Little things like that. I talked to Von Miller about recovery and how he changed his routine of recovery and making sure his body is right on Sunday.”
It hasn’t been the season Washington fans imagined going into 2025. The Commanders were 12-5 last season and were expected to be a contender again. Almost everything that could go wrong for Washington has gone wrong. The good news heading into 2026 is that the Commanders have a formidable offensive line. After a rough start, Conerly looks like a foundational piece for years to come.