Commanders turned down several trade offers to stick and pick Josh Conerly

The Washington Commanders are getting a new offensive lineman, but that is just the surface of it.

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; University of Oregon offensive lineman Josh Conerly (OL07) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images / Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

ASHBURN, Va. -- "We got another great new Commander," Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters said in his opening remarks following the first day of the NFL Draft.

By now, you know he was talking about the new Commanders' offensive lineman, Josh Conerly Jr., from the Oregon Ducks' program.

As important as it was for Conerly to meet the physical requirements to join the team in Washington, it was also about ensuring he was the right fit as a person. Ultimately, according to Peters, that is what made Conerly a player worth not trading back for.

Oregon Ducks offensive linenam Josh Conerly Jr. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

"We got a ton of calls when we were on the clock. We got calls throughout the week, just preliminary calls...And then we got a ton of calls leading up to that. And what we had discussed beforehand is really, if he was on the board, we weren't gonna trade back," Peters said. "There was an opportunity to trade back with a few other teams and wasn't very far, but in our minds it was not worth even risking missing on him.”

As for Conerly, the Commanders were a team he envisioned himself with, and it is an opportunity he isn't taking lightly.

"It’s a God given opportunity, you know what I mean? I got to thank God first before anything," Conerly said when asked how he felt and if he expected Washington to be a team he might go to. "Was I expecting it? Yeah, because I was ready to go [laughs]. But yeah, it's God-given opportunity, man.”

That opportunity is going to place him in front of the NFL's 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, quarterback Jayden Daniels. Another thing Conerly says he's looking forward to in the coming season.

As for the Commanders, they're looking forward to Day 2 where they hold one pick in the next two rounds, at least for now.

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