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Washington Commanders offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.
Everywhere you turned on the Washington Commanders this season, there was disappointment to be found.
From the top of the organization with ownership and executives to the coaching staff to the roster, everyone was bad at their jobs.
That included right offensive tackle and 2025 first round pick (No. 29 overall) Josh Conerly Jr., who stumbled and bumbled his way through his rookie season as his team went from Super Bowl contenders in the preseason to a 5-12 finish.
Pro Football Focus seemed willing to overlook Conerly’s shortcomings and labeled him the team’s leading “Breakout Candidate” in 2026, although did so with some damning praise.
Conerly, 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, is playing on a 4-year, $15.68 million rookie contract.
“Conerly’s 59.9 PFF overall grade for the season may not portray an imminent breakout, but he improved down the stretch,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote on January 27. “From Weeks 9 through 18, Conerly ranked just outside the top 30 qualified tackles with his 71.6 PFF overall grade. He allowed just two sacks in that time frame while stabilizing his play in the run game. The Commanders should be very encouraged by what they saw from Conerly during the second half of the campaign.”
Conerly Pressed Into Starting Role as Rookie
While the Commanders eventually want Conerly to become their starting left offensive tackle and protect quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ blind side, they’re more than happy to have him in an apprentice role at right offensive tackle while veteran Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil occupies that spot.
Conerly beat out veteran offensive tackle Andrew Wylie in training camp and started all 17 games for the Commanders as a rookie.
From ESPN’s John Keim: “Washington wants to build a fortress in front of quarterback Jayden Daniels. It has revamped its offensive line this offseason by trading for Laremy Tunsil and by drafting Conerly, who can play either guard or tackle. In three of the last four regular-season games, Daniels’ sack percentage was 10.4 or higher and the pressure percentage 37.5 or greater. Daniels can run, but he’s a passer first and this should provide him more chances to hang in the pocket and throw the ball. Washington can now envision its starting five for the next several years with Tunsil, Conerly, guard Sam Cosmi, center Tyler Biadasz and Brandon Coleman.”
Commanders Have More Problems Than Solutions
The Commanders need help everywhere, and they will need to make a dynamic move not only in free agency but with a surprise Top 10 pick this offseason to address many of those needs.
Washington is picking in the No. 7 overall spot and knocked their last Top 10 pick out of the park with Daniels, who was taken No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft and led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicts the Commanders will go with arguably the top college defender available in this draft class with versatile University of Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr.
“NFC East quarterbacks and offensive tackles aren’t going to be happy if Washington goes this way,” Kiper wrote. “Bain knows how to reach the quarterback, with 9.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in 2025.”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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