The Washington Commanders didn’t do a very good job evaluating talent in the 2025 NFL draft — especially when it came to their 1st round pick.
Instead of taking NFL Defensive Player of the Year Carson Schwesinger, future NFL All-Pro and Super Bowl champion Nick Emmanwori, or either of Ohio State’s talented running backs in Quinshon Judkins or Treveyon Henderson — all players who went in the next 10 picks after the Commanders — they took the advice of former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who wanted them to draft 6-foot-4, 315-pound offensive tackle Josh Conerly at No. 29 overall.
While Conerly started all 17 games for the Commanders as a rookie, it ended up being more out of necessity than anything else, and now Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon calls Conerly the most important 2nd year player on the roster in 2026.
“The focus has to be on Conerly, who simply has to continue on a positive trajectory after a miserable start to his career,” Gagnon wrote on June 17. “This offense can’t get back on track without a sophomore bump from the No. 29 overall pick at right tackle.”
Commanders NFL’s Biggest Letdown in 2025
Conerly stumbled and bumbled his way through his rookie season — but so did his team — as the Commanders went from preseason Super Bowl contenders to a 5-12 regular-season record just 1 year after going 12-5 and making it to the NFC Championship Game for the 1st time since 1991.
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, 22, 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.
The Commanders didn’t do their offensive line any favors for 2026 when they released Pro Bowl center Tyler Biadasz in a salary cap move, and the Los Angeles Chargers took full advantage, signing him to a 3-year, $30 million contract just days following his release.
Bleacher Report called the Chargers’ signing of Biadasz the NFL’s “Biggest Steal” in free agency during the 2026 cycle.
“The free agent market at the center position got reset in a seismic way when the Las Vegas Raiders handed Tyler Linderbaum a three-year contract averaging a staggering $27 million a season. Linderbaum is admittedly an excellent offensive lineman,” Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport wrote. “But the Los Angeles Chargers were able to add a Pro Bowl center of their own — and his entire three-year deal isn’t that much bigger than Linderbaum’s average annual salary.”
‘Miserable’ Commanders 1st Round Pick Called Most Important Player on Roster